Under the Surface
by rubylaurus
Summary: Prince Elias is over the moon to begin his own Selection, but when the girls arrive, they bring something far more sinister...and dangerous. Updates Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
1. Chapter 1: Eli

Prince Elias Kenneth Schreave the II walked confidently into his family's personal Parlor Room. He carried himself with the aura of a man fit to be king. Everything about him was perfect, from his luxurious dark brown curls to his emerald green eyes to his flawless tan skin. Even the freckles that dotted his nose were absolutely ideal. Everybody he met greeted him with utmost respect, undying love and support-

"S'up, nerd?" asked Brinley, his 15 year old sister, as she threw a small ball of paper at him. He raised an eyebrow at her, but she just shrugged and looked at her mother. Her curly dark brown hair swished around in a way that some had described as "bouncy" and "fun". Others, including Eli, referred to it as the mane of a lion that got stuck in an electrical outlet.

"Why did you call us, Eli?" Queen Georgianna asked. Unlike her youngest daughter, her hair was velvet and silky, falling in gentle waves to her elbows. Everything about her was soft. Her eyes were kind and a forest green. Her hands were smooth as a river stone.

She was tucked under the arm of her husband, King Hanson, who was looking at Eli with puzzlement. With good reason, too. Eli had asked for a family council all of twice in his entire life. Once when he'd needed money to enter the lottery. And another time when he'd wanted to protest the newly instituted law that Princes and Princesses under the age of 16 could not stay out later than 11:00. Neither of those had gone down very well for him.

Now, he stood at the front of the room, facing his mother, father, and three little sisters. He took a deep breath. "As you know," he said, "I have reached the age of eligibility."

"You've reached the age of stupidity," said Brooklyn, just a year Eli's junior. In an excellent show of maturity, he stuck his tongue out at her.

"As I was saying," he continued, "before I was so rudely interrupted, I am now 21 years old. That means that many young women will soon be throwing themselves at my feet."

"More like throwing up on your feet when they see your face," Stella quipped, to which she received a high five from Brooklyn. At the spritely age of 18, Stel was often commenting on the physical qualities that Eli may or may not possess.

"Let me finish," he groaned. It was so like his sisters to make a joke out of one of the biggest moments of his life. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm going to have a selection, alright?"

There was dead silence. He could hear the giant grandfather clock in the corner of the room ticking. The sound of faint laughter came from two floors down in the kitchen. Eli couldn't believe it. His family was never at a loss for words.

Yet here they were, quiet as the grave. Their faces appeared to be trying to process what he had said. He relished in their dumbfounded expressions and wished wholeheartedly that he had brought a camera.

Finally, his mother broke the silence. "That's wonderful news, honey," she said supportively, "but what girl in her right mind is going to volunteer for your Selection?"

The tension was broken. All went back to normal.

"I remember my Selection," King Hanson said wistfully. "I was so excited, so full of potential. I had no idea how awful the candidates were going to be."

Queen Georgiana shoved his shoulder. In response, he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap, where she was subjected to his forceful tickles.

"You're ruining my Selection announcement," Eli complained jokingly, but he was entirely ignored.

However, Stella brought up a note of seriousness. "When are you announcing it to the rest of Illea?" she asked.

Tapping his chin, Eli replied, "Probably this Friday. Hopefully I'll have the drawing the Friday after that. Then the girls will arrive Sunday, and we'll start the process on Monday. That should clip things right along." His parents nodded with satisfaction, and Eli felt a rush of warmth that they approved of his decisions.

Brinley flopped over her sisters' legs. "Just think," she gushed, "by next Monday you'll have met your future wife. Isn't that just incredible?"

All of a sudden, a sour look appeared on Brooklyn's face. "We're going to have to watch you flirt and date and make out with a bunch of girls, aren't we?" she asked with a considerable amount of disgust.

"Please, that's nothing compared to watching Dad's old selection," Stella announced. "Imagine watching him kiss some random ladies on the face."

Hanson began to reprimand her, but Georgianna cut in. "You think that's bad?" she asked. "I was there in person. I had to watch my future husband date 34 other girls right before my very eyes."

"You didn't know that I was going to be your future husband," Hanson scoffed.

"Oh, yes I did!" Georgianna exclaimed indignantly.

Eli grinned. He loved watching his family interact. He'd seen other Selections where there had been horrible fighting between parents. Or abuse between father and son. In particular, the Selection of his great-great grandfather, Maxon Schreave, had stood out to him. The King had physically abused his son until his death at the end of the Selection.

Nothing that major worried Eli. For the most part, he imagined he would have smooth sailing. The only concern he had was if his future wife would fit in. His family was quick witted, fast on their feet, and occasionally, downright mean. They'd scared away multiple mercenaries due to their seemingly harsh treatment of each other.

Then again, there was a reason he had a choice.

 _Please be perfect, my love,_ he prayed silently.

 **Hi everybody! This is my first fanfic so I'm not entirely sure about how this all works. Luckily I've got my best friend claramargaux helping me out. Go check out her selection story, The Price of Love. It's 10 times better than mine lol. If you want to PM me a character suggestion, fill out the form in my bio. I'm taking 10 characters (so your girl will end up in the elite no matter what). Ok that's all I will see you guys soon with another chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2: Eli

"Eli!" called Starr Fadaye as the prince walked into the studio. She was dressed head to toe in a sparkling silver dress with matching silver earrings. Her makeup was over dramatized and eye catching, exactly what Eli had come to expect from the Report host.

She'd been chosen by her grandfather, Kipling Fadaye, to be the new host after he'd fallen victim to a severe heart disease. It had caused quite a stir throughout Illea, seeing as she was the first female host since the Reports had begun. However, she'd quickly won over even the most opposed of the citizens through her quirky and exciting personality.

"Your outfit is a little boring today, Starr," he commented, taking his seat in the bright spotlight. "You seem to have taken the safe route."

Snorting, Star responded, "Maybe you should have taken the safe route." She looked pointedly at his bright orange and yellow striped tie. Eli felt his cheeks tint rouge, and he hurriedly tucked it under his suit.

Starr laughed and shook her head, "Are you really ready to announce this?" she asked, catching Eli off guard. "Are you ready to find your future queen?" Her tone was light and airy, as it always was, but Eli could sense an underlying tension.

"I'm here, aren't I?" he answered, shrugging nonchalantly. It wasn't exactly an answer, but it would have to do for now.

"2 minutes," warned one of the crew members, fiddling with the insides of the face camera. Immediately after this announcement, the makeup crew rushed from the outskirts of the studio.

They went to work, brushing and dusting his face until he felt like he might suffocate. He still wasn't used to makeup at this point, and didn't know if he ever would be.

"One minute until we go live!" called the producer. The makeup crew began brushing faster, using brief, succinct strokes to tidy his face. Starr laughed at his annoyed expression, and he made a face at her.

Finally, they were ushered away, and the camera began blinking bright red. Eli straightened in his seat, and glanced back at his family, who nodded supportively. Well, his parents did. Brooklyn, Stella, and Brinley made unsavory gestures that only he could see.

He took a deep breath, and smiled over at Starr. She winked at him once, then faced the camera. Eli did the same.

The blinking light turned to green.

"Welcome back Illea, to the program every citizen loves to hate, the Report!" Starr's intro received a dose of genuine laughter and raucous applause. She appeared quite pleased with herself, and flashed a smug look that only Eli could see.

"We're here tonight with the Crown Prince himself, His Royal Highness Elias Kenneth Schreave. Prince Elias has a very important announcement that is going to affect a lot of you young ladies out there," Starr quipped with a knowing eyebrow raise. There was a rumble from the audience as people turned to whisper to each other in shock and anticipation.

With a flip of her silvery hair, Starr announced, "That's right, folks. He's passing a law that restricts the purchases of handbags to 5 per person. That's all! Good night Illea!" The audience roared with laughter and even Eli let out a chuckle.

Once everybody had quieted down, Starr said, "In all seriousness though, I am absolutely thrilled to announce the Selection of Prince Elias Schreave." This drew a long minute of uproarious applause. Eli could see girls weeping, laughing, gaping like fish, hugging one another, or even fainting.

He raised his own microphone to his mouth and grinned charmingly at the camera. "Thank you, everyone, for your support as I make this decision. I am beyond excited to bring these 35 girls to the castle and get to know each and every one of them," he said, his voice low and gravelly. "I hope that every girl between the ages of 18 and 21 out there will please consider entering. The more the merrier, and the higher chance of our future queen being found."

"When will the Selection be taking place?" asked Starr, although Eli knew for a fact that she already knew.

"Next Friday," he answered. There was another murmur as the audience remarked at how quick his pace was. He nodded in acknowledgement, then continued.

"Hopefully, the girls will arrive the Sunday after that, and we can begin the competition on Monday," he announced.

Starr nodded in approval just as his parents had. Then her face became sly and she asked, "Why don't you give the ladies out there a little bit of an advantage. What exactly would you say you're looking for in a future wife?"

Caught off guard once again, Eli responded, "Well...uh...she'd have to be able to handle queenly duties, such as assisting me in important decisions, planning and hosting parties and welcoming committees, accompanying me on diplomatic mission-"

Starr let out a giant snore as she pretended to fall asleep in her hands. "Sorry," she said sleepily, "I just couldn't stay awake. What were you saying?"

Rolling his eyes, Eli tried again. "Hopefully they would _listen to me_ , even if the subject I'm talking about isn't particularly interesting. That is a common sign of respect, especially if they don't want to end up in the dungeon," he said pointedly. When Starr laughed out loud, he felt a boost of inspiration. "She shouldn't insult my fashion tastes. Doing something like that might lead me to do something drastic, like hiding my beautiful neon orange tie underneath my hideous Report suit." To punctuate this, he yanked the tie out into the open, and waved it in Starr's face. He could see the viewers losing it in the audience seats.

"To be honest," he finally answered, "I haven't given it much thought. I feel like it won't matter what she's like as long as we have chemistry. And of course, as I said, she can fill the role of queen as well as the rest of my ancestors have." He turned around and blew a kiss to his mother, who smiled fondly at him.

Starr nodded. "That's an excellent point," she said. "I hear you've been watching old Selection tapes in preparation for the next year. Which queens have stuck out to you?"

Now this was a question he'd been expecting. He answered with ease. "Queen America and Queen Eadlyn were both incredible ladies. They were both very outspoken and intelligent. I hope to one day measure up to their greatness."

For once, he thought that she might respond sincerely. Her face was poised in an expression of thoughtfulness and appreciation. "I think that's wonderful," she said sincerely. Then she paused. "A wonderful example of why you were named "most likely to bore a room to death' in your High School Yearbook."

Like everybody else, Eli laughed good naturedly, but there was something inside him that wanted her to stop. This was one of the biggest announcements he'd ever make in his life. It wasn't meant to be a joke.

But Starr kept the audience engaged, and he needed that. Besides, he wasn't innocent from a good natured banter now and then. Perhaps he was being too much of a stickler.

The producer caught his eye and motioned that it was time to wrap up. So Eli seized the opportunity to draw the attention back to himself.

"I'm afraid that's all we have time for, Starr," he said apologetically. "If possible, I'd like to close with a message to the girls." Starr nodded, and he cleared his throat importantly.

"I know it might be intimidating to even register," he acknowledged. "But I'm begging you. Please sign up. I don't care if you are the lowest of the 7s or Cara D Ramirez," he said, in reference to the famous model and actress. After a moment of consideration, he said, "Cara, if you are watching this, I encourage you especially to register."

Everybody applauded as Starr laughed and closed up the Report, but Elias couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment from his heart. Things were most definitely not shaping up the way he'd dreamed.

 **Hi everybody! Thanks so much to everybody who's submitted reviews or PMd me an OC! Next chapter is going to start to enter into the lives of some girls. If you have a spot reserved, hurry and get me the details so I can put her in the story! Hope y'all liked Starr.**

 **UPDATE: I realized that I accidentally said Esme a few time instead of Starr. That was her original name, but I changed it last minute. Looks like I missed a few lol**


	3. Chapter 3: Sage and Reina

The clock on the wall ticked slowly. Sage watched the second hand tick mechanically around the clock. Over and over and over again. The meticulous noise rung in my ear like a 5 part symphony.

Her father was coming home in 2 minutes, at 9:00 PM. At least, that's when he said he'd get home. These days, it was difficult to know an exact time. He'd started walking from the Hospital since that day 3 months ago.

All of a sudden, Chance and Queen came skittering around the corner. Their long, whip like tails helped them keep balance as they skidded to a halt under Sage's limp hand. Immediately, she felt their rough tongues cleaning every inch of her fingers. Despite her gloom, she had to giggle. The dogs always knew when she was feeling down.

As it so often did, Sage's gaze drifted to the family portrait on the wall. Her father, Michael Marson, was clean shaven in this picture, and his smile stretched from ear to ear. His hair was clipped short instead of the shaggy mane he kept it in now.

Her mother was wrapping her arms around him, her lovely blue eyes crinkled around the corners from years of smiling. Her hair, so much like Sage's, was chestnut brown and fell neatly around her shoulders.

Her three little siblings were grinning impishly, their brown eyes twinkling with the mischievousness of childhood. _Too young,_ Sage though. _Too young to die._

It was just her and her father now. The doctors had done everything they could, but the car accident had been too brutal. The only ones they could save were the eldest child and the man who worked at that very hospital. The rest had been tragically lost to the other side.

Sage groaned. She had to stop thinking thoughts like that. She was supposed to be out enjoying herself right now. 18 years old was no age to be cooped up in one's house.

But unfortunately, she couldn't go anywhere before her father got home and checked up on her. It was understandable, of course. She would want to see her last remaining family member at least once a day too. However, it could become a nuisance.

The TV, which had been playing idly in the background, providing much needed white noise, suddenly let out the telltale trumpet of the Friday night Report. Despite herself, Sage was a sucker for following the royal family. So she flipped herself around and turned her attention to the flamboyant reporter Starr Fadaye and the beloved Prince Elias.

The dogs leaped up onto the couch and made themselves comfortable. The breath was momentarily knocked out of Sage's lungs as Chance plopped himself down on her back. She grinned up at their lolling tongues and wild eyes.

"Welcome back Illea, to the program every citizen loves to hate, the Report!" cawed Starr, and the studio audience laughed in a fakey way. Sage rolled her eyes. If there was one thing she disliked about the Report, it was Starr.

They bantered back and forth for a bit, and Starr made a dumb joke about handbags. However, Sage was barely paying attention to her anymore. There was something about Prince Elias's posture. Something quite familiar. She'd seen it on the old reruns they showed on TV sometimes. It was tense, yet inordinately excited. That could mean only one thing...

"I am absolutely thrilled to announce the Selection of Prince Elias Schreave," the host announced triumphantly. As expected, the crowd went wild.

Sage didn't hear another word that was uttered on the Report that night. She grabbed the remote and switched off her TV. Her breathing was coming in quick, shallow gasps.

The front door opened from the other room. Sage perked up and watched her father walk into the living room, still dressed in his medical attire.

"Hey," he mumbled, fiddling with his buttons. But when Sage didn't respond, he looked up. "What's the matter, pumpkin?" he asked. Sage couldn't speak. She just pointed to the blank TV.

Her father's eyebrows scrunched. "What is it? Did something upset you?"

Finally, she was able to force one word out. "Selection," she squeaked excitedly.

Michael Marson's face fell. He took a step towards his daughter, but then hesitated. "R-really?" he asked worriedly. "For Prince Elias?"

"Yes," Sage exclaimed.

He sat down in a daze, the lines that covered his face suddenly a hundred times more prominent. He opened his mouth to speak several times, but failed. "Are you going to go and register?" he asked defeatedly.

Sage raised an eyebrow. "Of course I am, dad. Why wouldn't I?"

"It's just…." he sighed. "Do you want to be queen? Do you want to marry the prince?"

Sage thought. "Not particularly," she answered truthfully.

"Then you just want to leave. And I would be left alone," Michael concluded.

Her heart twisted guiltily in her chest. She'd forgotten about her father. Her poor, lonely father. For a moment, she considered staying home. It would be better that way. She could focus on her clinic and heal from the accident.

But then she looked at the portrait. The familiar rush of agony wound her way over her head, and for a brief instant, she felt like she was drowning. She had to get out. She couldn't go on like this any longer.

With soft steps, she walked over to her father and wrapped her arms around him, just like her mother had in their portrait. "I need to get out of this place," she said into his shoulder. "I'm suffocating. You're not home most of the day, and I have to stay here with the memories."

She felt her father inhale deeply, then exhale. Like a wave on the sea. In, out, in, out. He held her tightly, then kissed her head.

"Go win you a prince, pumpkin."

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Reina slammed the shop door closed and stormed past the various sewing machines and stacks of fabric. In her fury, she knocked over a pile of thimbles, sending them into a mess on the ground.

"Reina," scolded Ygritte, the woman standing closest to her. "Come clean this up _._ "

But Reina ignored her and kept on her rampage. Despite her slim stature and considerable lack of height, she was a formidable presence. Several seamstresses clicked their tongue at her. She didn't respond to any of them, only one thing on her mind.

The door to her mother's office was slightly rotten. It had been years since their last inspection, years since any of the oh-so-benevolent surveyors had thought to check up on the poor little 6 shop. Typical behavior of a 3. They acted as though they were 2s, what with their boasting and pretentious speech-

A seamstress tapped her shoulder. "Reina," Emily said. "You're staring at the door again."

The small girl shook herself indignantly and bristled at Emily. "I wasn't staring," she said defiantly.

Her best friend laughed. "If you're going to go in, you should go quickly. I heard Molly and Hannah plotting to make you scrub every inch of the floor after that entrance you just orchestrated," she warned.

For the first time, Reina looked a little guiltily at the mess behind her. The maids were just as tired as she was, and she wasn't making their job any easier. "Tell them I'm sorry, and I'll come help when I'm done talking to mother," she said.

Emily nodded, and turned away to return to her station. Reina watched her for a minute, then slid into her mother's office.

"Mama?" she said softly, stepping towards the desk at the back of the room. Her mother was stitching away at a little scarf, her hands moving elegantly as she moved the needle back and forth. Reina's mother was smaller than she was, and a whole lot gentler.

"A little girl in the village dropped her scarf in the well," Jeneve said, her husky voice like melted honey in Reina's ear. "She wanted me to make her a new one."

A smile spread across Reina's face. "That's wonderful, Mama," she said sincerely. There was a moment of complete calm as she watched her mother do pure magic. When she was a little girl, she would watch for hours as she watched Jeneve create shirts, coats, pants, hats, bags, and dresses. She had tried to make her own several times, but they were never quite as beautiful as her mother's work.

After a few minutes, Jeneve put the scarf down. "But you came in here in a huff, _malysh_ ," she commented, her russian lilt particularly strong today. "What was that about?"

Just like that, all of the anger and tensions she'd felt earlier were back. She shook her head and stood up. It was a habit of hers to start pacing when she was worked up, and this was no exception.

"I was driving Mr. Woodley to his executive meeting," she complained. "And he's being pretentious and a know-it-all as usual. It was everything I could do not to throw the car into the river and end my suffering." Her mother chuckled at the dramatics, but Reina wasn't finished.

"Then, at the end of the drive, he doesn't pay me the full amount. So I say, 'Mr. Woodley, sir, this isn't enough.' And he says, 'Sorry, Sixie, I'm short on change. Gotta get to my meeting.' So then I say, 'Mr. Woodley, sir, I don't care if you're late to your meeting. I need my money.' And do you know what he says?" Without waiting for Jeneve's response, she continued, "He said, 'Maybe if you weren't a worthless member of society, I'd value your labor more."

Having gotten her rant out, she plopped onto the chair again, arms folded angrily. Her heart beat rapidly, the scene playing over and over again in her mind.

Jeneve rose from her desk and walked around to stand over Reina. She reached out a hand and affectionately pushed away the curly blonde hair that had fallen into her daughter's face.

"In Russia," she said softly, "There is a….a Nursery Rhyme. In Illean, it goes like this: _The man who carries no anger is light. He floats to the sky and touches the sun. The man who is angry is weighed down. His burden drags him into the earth._ " She brushed a hand down Reina's face. Then, she hurried back to her desk and pulled out a slightly wrinkled piece of paper.

Reina narrowed her eyes. If that was what she thought it was, she didn't want anything to do with it. "Mama," she said cautiously. "Is that a Selection form?"

Her mother sighed. "I just want you to be happy, _malysh._ If you get Selected, you get to go to the palace. You get to meet the royal family, and make friends with all the other girls, and-"

"Mama," pleaded Reina, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Please."

"It's the best opportunity for you," Jeneve argued. "I didn't come from Russia 21 years ago to watch my daughter become a bitter, unmarried wretch."

Shell shocked, Reina replied, "I'm only 20! I have years before I become a wretch."

But her mother wasn't finished. "I came to Illea so that you could have a good life. So that you could have the comfort and happiness that I was never given. I don't want you to miss on that opportunity. Your father…" she cut off abruptly as she thought of her husband. When she continued, her voice was high and tight. "Your father did not sacrifice himself to save you so that you could live this life. Think of all you have been given, darling. Please. Just sign your name. Get your picture taken. That's all I ask."

It was the angriest Reina had ever seen her mother. She was so startled by her sudden outburst that she just nodded silently and traced her name across the line.

 _I will sign up,_ she promised. _And if I get Selected, I will make it a living hell for every pretentious idiot there._

 **Hello once more! I was going to post this tomorrow morning, but I wanted to address the character name situation. As some of you have pointed out to claramargaux, I used some of her character names. I want to assure you guys that I did not do it on purpose. I went over to her house tonight and she told me about the whole situation. For the name Brooklyn, I have family friends named Brooklyn and Eli, so I thought that would be a fun shout out. For Esme, that was a mistake. Esme was her original name, but I changed it to Starr later. Sorry, I guess I missed a few!**

 **By the way, there is still one spot available for an Elite! I'm really excited for the rest of the character profiles to come in. The first four that I have are magnificent. Thanks to everybody who's sent me a profile or is going to!**


	4. Chapter 4: Eli

The Great Room was filled with the sounds of clinking glasses, loud chatter, and the underlying string quartet brought in all the way from Kent. Over 300 people were in attendance. There was various nobility, of course. There was the help. There were reporters. There were upper class citizens of Angeles. There was the King, the Queen, and the three princesses.

And, of course, there was Eli. At the current moment, he was standing next to his father, chatting up some dignitary from France. He didn't particularly want to be there, but he had his father by his side. King Hanson was doing most of the chatting up.

"It eez a great surprise to all of France that Elias 'ere eez 'olding 'is own Selection," the woman said. Eli couldn't remember quite what her title was, but he knew for a fact she was important. So he stood there nodding.

"It was a surprise to us as well," his father said. "But we're very proud of him, and we're ecstatic to meet the girls."

The dignitary chuckled. "It eez a shame that you are not taking girls from other countries. I suspect that Colette 'as a bit of a….how you say….crush on you."

Eli's gut dropped. He remembered who this was now. Queen Ines, one of the most powerful women in the world. He had met her daughter, Princess Colette, 5 years earlier at a global warming assembly. She was standing a few feet away now, talking to Charlotte.

Hanson jabbed a discreet elbow into Eli's side. He turned back to face Queen Ines, face tinted red. "It is my regret, as well," he said. "Colette is one of my dearest friends, and I would love to see her more often." Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his father nod.

Queen Ines's eyes brightened. "So wonderful of you to say," she said warmly. "She will be so happy to hear you think fondly of her."

And with that, she glided off to occupy the attention of a very unhappy looking Avery. Eli turned back to his father.

"That was fun," he muttered, "now Colette is going to think I'm in love with her."

Hanson laughed. "That might not be such a bad thing," he said with a wink. "Colette's a beautiful young girl. Maybe you should have a night of fun before you become property of 35 girls."

Nearly snorting his wine out his nose, Eli glared up at his father. "You're not allowed to say things like that," he complained. "You're old." He reached into a pocket and pulled out a napkin, expecting his father to come back with a witty retort. However, when he looked up, his father was staring at something-or someone-in the crowd.

When Eli looked up, his breath was nearly taken away. Starr had done it again. Her naturally blonde hair had been dyed, now an ombre from white at the top to royal blue at the bottom. Her dress was low cut, flowing behind her like an ocean wave. She had a train that spanned behind her for 12 feet at least. Everyone's eyes were on her as she elegantly floated towards the center of the Great Room.

"Go have some fun, kid," Hanson murmured, clapping his son on the back.

Still feeling rather starstruck, Eli drifted towards the Report host. She was smiling for some cameras, posing elegantly and….rather like royalty.

When she saw Eli, though, she dropped the facade. "Hi, you," she said, wrapping her arms around him. There was nothing Eli could do but hug her back, though he was well aware of the cameras clicking wildly.

As soon as they broke away, Starr grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the back corner. At first, Eli was afraid the cameras might try to follow them. But when he glanced back, they were focused on Stella, who'd just arrived at the party.

"All this for you?" Starr asked, shoving his shoulder lightly.

Eli laughed. "Apparently I'm kind of important in this Kingdom."

They made their way to the back of the Great Room, where they sat down on a long velvet couch. Occasionally, a reporter would walk by and snap a picture, but for the most part, they were left to themselves.

After quite a few drinks, Starr put her hand on his thigh. "You don't have to have a Selection," she said, her words slurred together sloppily. The look in her eyes made Eli slightly uneasy.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, inching away from her.

Starr sighed impatiently, looking as though a small child were not understanding her simple direction. "I mean you could marry me instead," she invited.

Shock plunged its way through Eli's veins. Marry him? Starr?

He decided to play it on the drunkenness. "You'd be a right awful Queen," he joked. "Even while sober."

She grunted. "I would not," she defended grumpily. "I can host parties. I can help you make decisions. I can do all that dumb boring stuff you said on the Report. Just watch me. I'll listen to you, I won't make fun of your ugly ties. Just watch."

Eli was starting to grow uncomfortable. "Starr," he pleaded. "You're one of my best friends. Don't try and throw off my Selection."

To his utter shock, Starr began to bawl hysterically. Some nearby nobles and mercenaries looked over with distaste. Eli knew that many of them disapproved of Starr being treated as a noble, and thus, attending many of the various parties thrown. He waved awkwardly at them, while also halfheartedly attempting to console Starr.

"Starr, don't do this to me now," he muttered. "Please. Everybody's watching."

At this, she suddenly stopped bawling. She glanced slyly at the microphone that King Hanson had used to welcome everybody to the party only half an hour ago. Dread blossomed in Eli's stomach. He knew exactly what Starr was about to do.

With agility and speed unfathomable for a woman in heels, she streaked over to the mic. Eli was on his feet in an instant, but Starr was already clearing her throat and signaling everybody's attention.

"Citizens of Illea, please listen to me," she called. Instantly, everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at the girl.

She looked pleased. Starr was always pleased when the attention was on her. "I am here to congratulate Prince Elias on his Selection," she announced. "He is my best friend in the whole world." Eli turned a brilliant shade of red as people in the crowd began whispering. He caught a glimpse of two men moving towards them, dressed completely in black.

"Unfortunately," said Starr, "There isn't going to be a Selection. Because Eli, my true love, has just agreed to marry me."

There were gasps of pure outrage. It was at this point that Eli knew he needed to intervene. He walked over and grabbed the mic from Starr. "I apologize," he said to the crowd. "Ms. Fadaye has unfortunately had a little too much to drink. She is only joking, the Selection will indeed continue as planned. Thank you."

He grabbed Starr's wrist and pulled her away.

"Why would you do that?" he hissed. "Why would you do that?"

The security guards were almost upon them, and Eli knew they only had a few more seconds to talk. So he shook her shoulders and asked once more, "Why would you do that?"

Finally, she responded. "It's because I love you, Eli!" she screamed hysterically. "I'm in love with you and I want to get married!"

"You don't love me," Eli growled. "The only you love is attention. I don't know if we're even friends. For all I know, you could be using me to grab more views. Have you ever been sincere in your life?"

For once, Starr was speechless. She didn't say anything as the security guards caught her by the arms and dragged her away from Eli. She disappeared through the door, and the guests seemed to exhale. The string quartet picked up their tune again, and everybody resumed their chatter. It was almost as if the incident had never occurred.

But Eli could not forget it. He couldn't forget the desperate and hungry look in Starr's eyes as she proclaimed her love for him. She didn't, he knew that. He knew that she'd been looking to create a spectacle. He also knew that he could never marry her like she wanted to. However, he also could not forget the feeling he'd had when she'd walked into the room.

Shaking his head, he went to speak with his parents, feeling more confused than ever before.


	5. Chapter 5: Viv and Gigi

**Hi everybody, I need to start off this chapter with a VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE. In the second part, there are some thematic elements, sexual harassment, and attempted kidnapping. If any of this is upsetting you in any way, please please please just skip ahead and learn about the girl later. Ok, that's all. Enjoy!**

What if...what if there was just nothing? What if, instead of the world and the universe and other universes, there was a vast, empty hole? But then, of course, even that would be something. Could there ever possibly be truly nothing? Was there a time when nothing existed? What happened to create the universe? If nothing was there, what elicited the big bang?

"Viviana Ebony!"

Viv snapped out of her daze, and turned to face the attractive boy lying on the couch next to her. He was pulling at her ponytail, the strands of red clutched tightly in his hand.

Levi sighed. "You were-"

"In my Pit of Thought," Viv sighed. "I know. I was thinking about the universe."

"Aren't you always?" he teased.

The way he grinned made her heart squeeze tight. Well, not literally. That would be incredibly dangerous. Or would it? She didn't know. Could the human heart withstand such contraction? Was it a sign of any major disease or condition? Was it-

No. With considerable effort, she pulled herself out of what those close to her had dubbed her Pit of Thought. Levi Jones, her best friend, was the originator of this phrase, and used it to no end.

Levi.

What to do about Levi? He had captured her heart of course. But then again, he'd captured the hearts of thousands. Maybe millions. Maybe tens of millions. She didn't know how many people had seen _My Country Tis of Thee,_ the blockbuster movie that had swept Illea. Levi had been the star, playing King Maxon Schreave. And just as everybody had loved Maxon himself, everybody had loved Levi.

They were sitting in his living room now, talking about college. Viv had finished High School 2 years ago at the age of 17, accelerating through her years there at an incredible speed. Levi had dropped out to pursue his career, but was very interested in attending college.

"I'm not sure I want to continue acting," he said, brushing his hand through his hair. "It's fun, and I do like money, but I also want to settle down eventually. I think I might want to study history or something."

Viv nodded. "That would be cool. I think I would want to go into astrology or physical cosmology. Maybe I could teach at a University eventually." She sighed. "If I can even manage to scrape together enough money to get to college."

Though Viv was a 3, she was not well off in any way. Just one week after she was born, she was dropped at a "Parentless Children's Facility." She had stayed there for 18 years, and had moved out only two months ago. She was staying at Levi's house now. She had no funds, no inheritance, nothing but her brain.

"I've told you before," Levi said, "We can pay for your tuitions."

"And I've told you before, I can't do that. I have to do it myself," Viv reminded him. "I can't mooch off of you for everything."

"Viv, you can stay here your whole life if you want to," Levi said, with a sudden intensity that made her mind go blank for a second. What did he mean by that? Was it a gesture of generosity, or a plea for companionship? And if it was because he wanted her with him, was it because they had been best friends for 12 years, or because….no. That was just Viv dreaming. Just like always.

It was then that his mother, Cheryl Jones, walked into the room. "Have you seen my glasses?" she asked.

"They're on top of your head, Ma," Levi said with a chuckle.

Cheryl reached up and frantically patted her hair. "Are they really?"

Levi laughed louder. "Nah, I'm just messing with you. I haven't seen them anywhere, sorry."

With a sigh, Cheryl lowered her hands to her sides. She leaned back against the wall and asked, "What are you kids talking about in here?"

"College, mainly," Viv said sullenly.

All of a sudden, Cheryl's eyes lit up. "That's right," she said excitedly, "I was going to talk to you about that." She reached into her handbag and pulled out a crisp sheet of paper covered with an elegant sheet protector. "I don't know if you watched the Report the other night, but Prince Elias just announced that he is holding a Selection!" She thrust the paper into Viv's hands. A Selection form.

Viv didn't take it right away. She was keenly aware of Levi watching her, taking in her decision. What would he think if she took the form? Would he think she was in love with Prince Elias? She wasn't. He was nice, funny, handsome and rich, sure. But he wasn't for her.

However, she couldn't say no to Cheryl. Not after everything that the Joneses had given her.

"That's so kind of you," she said, accepting the form. "Except I'm not nearly fit enough to even compete for the title of Queen, never mind actually become one. Prince Eli isn't exactly my type, either."

Cheryl waved a hand. "Nonsense. First of all, you would be an incredible Queen. Second of all, you don't even need to marry the Prince. If you stayed there for at least a little bit, you would be paid enough to pay for college. Plus, you'll get out there. Make new friends."

She made a convincing argument. It seemed like the answer to Viv's prayer. She could go to the palace, stay until she was eliminated or left of her own will. It would more than pay for University. And Cheryl was right, she would make friends. Not that Levi wasn't enough.

So Viv accepted her gift, and slipped it out of the sheet. Suddenly, it seemed much more daunting. With this paper, she could be transported to Angeles, to meet Prince Elias. And the King and Queen. And appear on national television every week. And wear fancy dresses. And eat exquisite food. And-

"Hey," Levi said. "Crawl out of your Pit. Let's fill this thing out."

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The bar was quiet tonight. The hustle and bustle that usually filled the building was muted to a dull hum. Men lay head down on the counter, countless empty bottles at their sides. Women chatted quietly, watching the men with a nervous eye. Couples kissed passionately in the back.

A low, husky voice floated over all of them, enveloping the establishment in a haunting spell. People were slowly drawn to the girl with the otherworldly voice, like sailors to a siren. Her voice was filled with passion and regret. It was a voice and a song that no one could ignore.

The girl brushed a strand of her snow white hair out of her face. She was dressed in skimpy black dress, accentuating the golden-amber color of her eyes. As she sang, she moved her hands up and down her figure, ignoring the drooling men in the front row. They could stare. It meant more business and more money for her.

Eventually, there was nobody left except Charlie Howard, the bartender, and a few guys in the back. The girl checked the clock on the wall. 3 AM. Give or take a few minutes. That old clock never worked right.

Technically, she was allowed to leave now. But her roomate, Bunny, wouldn't be home until later that morning, and she didn't fancy being alone. So she took a seat and pulled out a cigarette.

The billowing smoke stood out against the rouge brick walls of the bar. The girl watched it in mild fascination, then took a breath and blew it away. It faded into the oblivion. The notion pricked the girl's heart, and she puffed another breath.

"My, my," said a heart stoppingly familiar voice.

The girl looked up to see an unwelcome face staring at hers, angular and dangerous and devilishly beautiful. He took her hand and placed a soft kiss against the back of it. "We meet again, Bambi."

"My name is Gigi," the girl said coldly.

The man smiled, like a predator stalking his prey. "That's not what you told me the last time we….met."

Gigi scoffed disgustedly. "The last time we met, I was a broke 15 year old and you were a desperate man in a loveless marriage." She looked down at the ground. "Looks like the only thing that's changed is that I'm turning 20 in 2 days."

"December 14th," the man said. "I remember. I came to give you a birthday present."

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a beautiful golden necklace, the exact color of Gigi's eyes. She didn't take it, instead looking up into the face of the man.

"What's the catch?" she asked skeptically.

The man gasped offendedly. "There's no catch, darling."

"There's always a catch with you, Miles Shayes," Gigi said ruefully. She looked down at her long, sharp nails, covered in glitter and black polish. "I don't want your necklace," she murmured. "I don't want anything to do with you. Never again. Please leave the bar."

The man's face had hardened. He brought the necklace back into his cloak and clutched Gigi's hand tighter. "Perhaps I wasn't clear," he snarled. "I came to collect that favor you owe me. The necklace was an act of generosity. Because we care so much about each other. But if you'd rather do without all that jazz, we can skip it. Fine by me."

"I don't do that kind of work anymore," Gigi cried. She tried to snatch her arm away from Miles, but he was a grown man. His grip was firm and unbreaking and his eyes were filled with a hunger.

"You're coming with me, now," he commanded. He pulled her to her feet and began to drag her away.

There was only one thing left to do. Gigi screamed as loud as she could, drawing the attention of the last few patrons as well as Mr. Howard. With Miles's focus momentarily broken, she stomped on his foot with her three inch stiletto, eliciting a string of curses from his mouth. Scrambling backwards, she crashed into the counter.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" growled Mr. Howard. He rolled up his sleeves and stormed around the side of the counter.

Miles scuffed the ground. "I was just leaving," he said, holding up two hands. "I didn't mean no harm. Just talking to my friend here." He looked pointedly at Gigi. "We are going to finish our conversation," he warned. Then he walked backwards out of the bar, looking warily at Mr. Howard.

Once he was gone, Gigi collapsed against a barstool, one hand against her forehead. "Thank you, Charlie," she murmured.

He came around and put a hand on her back. "You alright, Gigi?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine," she said. "I'm just surprised that he found me. I practically dropped off the face of the earth." She took a sip of a nearby drink, not caring what or whose it was. "Not that anybody knew who I was before I came here," she mused.

Mr. Howard paused. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked. "You're acting kind of worrisome."

Gigi laughed mirthlessly. "Of course I am. Before tonight, I may have been hopeless and apathetic, but now I've been stripped of the one thing I thought I had. Security." She sighed. "No matter, though."

"I'll protect you, Gigi," Mr. Howard said eagerly. "You know I will."

"You're sweet, Chaz," she said, her voice husky. "But I have a plan. I'm going to enter the Selection. Picked up a sheet today at the drugstore. If all goes according to plan, I'll be out of here before you can say 'martini'." She looked up. "Imagine _me_ , Gigi Edwards, rubbing shoulders with the royal family. Almost too impossible to think."

Mr. Howard was quiet. "Well, we'll miss you around here, Gigi," he admitted. "Where else are we going to find a white haired, golden eyed siren that can calm a room in 10 seconds flat?"

For the first time in weeks, Gigi hinted at a smile. "Aw, shucks. You can get 'em dime a dozen downtown."

 **And there you have it! Seriously, please leave a review or PM me if it was too much. If it's a serious problem for anybody, I can do some editing to make it less uncomfortable. Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6: Eli

**THE** **APOLOGY**

"Thank you so much for visiting Illea, and again, I am terribly sorry about the disruption last night," Eli said courteously, dipping his head to Queen Ines and Princess Colette.

The Queen primped her hair. "Well, you handled it in a very dignified manner," she said. "Good luck in your Selection. I look forward to watching you choose the future queen. Hopefully, she will 'ave a bit more class than your….friend."

"I hope so as well," Eli replied, opting to keep it brief.

Satisfied, Queen Ines and Princess Colette turned to go. As soon as their backs were to him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Only 25 more dignitaries to apologize to and send on their ways. He hadn't been so tired since Charlotte's Sweet 16. 23 girls in total had asked him to dance, and he wasn't allowed said no to any of them. He'd staggered back to his room at 4:30 in the morning, vowing never to dance again.

This was a very close second. He'd been up since 5:00 AM placating all 218 foreign guests of his Selection party as they left. It was 8:30 now, and the royal family of Belgium was leaving the palace in 10 minutes.

But before he could speak, he felt a hand on his back.

"Go and take a break, Eli," King Hanson said kindly. "I'll take over from here."

"Thanks, dad," Eli said, nodding appreciatively at his father. He turned to go up to his room and take a well needed nap.

However, he hadn't taken 2 steps before his knees began to buckle. He started weaving, unable to control his direction. Black spots swarmed from the edges of his vision and quickly worked their way inwards. Soon, he was stumbling blindly, falling desperately towards.

He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

When he opened his eyes, his mother was sitting next to him, stroking the hair out of his face. Eli could hear her humming an old nursery rhyme, one she used to sing every night to him before bed. Out of habit, he joined in for the ending, and she looked down in pleasant shock.

"I didn't expect to see you conscious so soon, love," she said, her voice low and melodic. "I'd begun to hope you wouldn't wake up at all."

Eli chuckled ruefully and swatted his mother's hand away. "I almost didn't," he retorted, "knowing that you'd probably be here when I did."

His mother laughed, a beautiful noise that warmed Eli's heart. His mother's smile was something earned, and one didn't see it often. She used to smile freely all the time, he remembered. But after his younger brother, James, was stillborn, she listened more than she laughed.

"How long was I gone for?" he asked.

Queen Georgianna snorted. "You say that as if you've been in a coma for years. You collapsed maybe 5 minutes ago."

Eli sighed. "And what did the dignitaries have to say about that?"

"They mostly felt sorry for you. Many of them wished to help. You'll be pleased to know that Princess Colette rushed to your side as soon as she saw you were unwell," the Queen said with a sly look.

Throwing his hands up in disbelief, Eli cried, "Why? Why must everybody assume that just because we're the same age and opposite genders that our wedding is tomorrow? My future wife is literally coming to the palace in one week, and I'm pretty sure that Colette is betrothed to the Prince of China."

His mother didn't respond, looking instead towards the far side of the hospital room. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that," she said, her tone suddenly much more somber.

"What is it, mom?" Eli asked hesitantly.

Suddenly, the Queen had tears in her eyes. Eli's heart skipped a beat and he clambered into an upright position immediately. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, love," she said. "I'm sorry. I promised your father that I would control myself." She took in a deep breath. Then exhaled. She continued, "It's just that….a new member of our family is about to enter our lives. And I know she'll be wonderful. But she'll also change the dynamics completely. She'll change _you_ completely. And I'm excited for the new. But I'm also going to mourn what will be lost."

Eli hugged her tighter. "I swear I won't push you to the side, mama," he said into her shoulder.

"No," she said. "You have to. Just for a little bit. These girls are leaving everything they've ever known to compete for your heart. They deserve your undivided attention and resources. I was a 2 from Likely, and I still had a difficult time my first few weeks."

Releasing her, Eli relaxed back onto his infirmary bed. "Was it hard to connect with Dad? Did he make an effort to reach out to you? To make you feel welcome?"

Looking thoughtful, Queen Georgianna replied, "I suppose so. We could all tell he wasn't thrilled about having his own selection but he did do his best to be open and accepting. After a few weeks, though, it became much easier to talk to him he seem to have embraced the idea that his future wife was among the 35 of us chosen." The Queen turned to face her son. but you are already so eager to get to know them, it will be a walk in the park compared to my own Selection."

Eli considered that. "But what if I'm over eager? Will I come off as desperate? Will they change their minds?"

"Those that are here for the crown will not care that you are over eager," Queen Georgianna said."And your future wife, whoever she may be, will love you nonetheless.

To his surprise, Eli felt tears welling in the back of his eyes. He grinned at his mother and said, "Thank you. I can't wait until you get to meet your future daughter."

At that, the Queen's eyes lit up. She got to her feet and walked towards the back of the room. "There's somebody who needs to talk to you," she said cryptically. Her high heels clicked on the smooth tile floor as she moved towards the entrance to the sleeping area.

She pulled the door open, and whispered some words to somebody there. Eli watched her take a smooth, pale hand and pull whoever was there out into the open. When the girl was exposed, Eli almost didn't recognize her.

It was Starr. The dye was washed out of her hair, replaced with it's regular sandy blonde. There were no intricate braids, no copious amount of gel molding it into ridiculous shapes. Her face was free of any makeup, even the basics. It struck Eli that he'd never seen her that way before. He thought she looked just as pretty without.

Other than that, she was in a plain white hospital gown and slippers. So normal, so average. It was certainly a shock to Eli. It was like looking at a fish in the sky, or a snowstorm in the desert.

"Hi," she said shyly. Queen Georgianna led her out to the bed across from Eli, where both of them took a seat.

"The two of you need to have a discussion," the Queen decided. "And you need to be mature adults about it. I don't want either of you leaving this hospital wing until you've come to an agreement." She paused. "It broke my heart to watch your fight yesterday. You two are good friends, and can't let things like this get in the way of that. You'll need each other throughout life."

With that out of the way, she rose to her feet and walked out of the hospital room, her heels clicking all the way. Once she was gone, Eli turned back to face Starr, who was staring at her hands.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Her head whipped up. "Are you kidding?" she asked. "I'm sorry. You can't apologize."

"I was so mean," Eli protested.

"I was so embarrassing," Starr countered.

Eli shrugged. "I guess we're both the worst," he concluded.

Letting out a small giggle, Starr replied, "Yeah, I guess we are."

They sat in silence for a moment before Eli stood up and pulled her into a hug. She stiffened for a second, then relaxed into his embrace. They stood there for a minute, wrapped in each others arms, before a nurse came by and told them both to sit down.

"So why are you here?" Eli asked.

Starr grimaced. "I have the worst headache. I could barely walk after last night. I woke up about 2 hours ago, when your mom came in to talk to me." She groaned and clutched her head, collapsing against her pillow. "Half the headache is from the hangover and half is from the crippling self hatred I get whenever I think about that stupid party."

"I'm sure everybody will have forgotten about it by the time the girls show up," Eli said, though he wasn't entirely convinced.

Starr sighed. "I hope so." She shifted in her bed to face Eli. "By the way, the things that I said-"

"Don't worry about it," Eli said. "I'll forget what you said if you can forget what I said."

Smiling, Starr replied, "Deal."

They tried to shake on it, but a nurse walked by and told them to get some rest.

 **Hi everybody! I'm so excited about the direction this story is taking. Hopefully this makes you like Starr just a little bit more. I have a few more girls stories to tell before they arrive at the castle, but I promise it'll be worth the wait! I just want to make sure that you get to know all of them before they meet Eli.**


	7. Chapter 7: Sofie and Tricia

Click.

Camera shutters. Pictures of her face being waved for an autograph. Her name being screamed. People pawing at her, desperate to touch her. Police flanking each side of her, guarding the distinct yellow tape. It was difficult at best for Sofie Lafierre to go anywhere in public, but that didn't mean it came without perks. She drank up the attention.

An attractive young man whistled at her, and she flashed him a sultry grin. The cameras went wild, capturing her face and the man's reaction. Sofie knew there would probably be a hundred articles about it.

A young girl caught her eye. She couldn't have been more than 7 years old, and by the looks of her, was a 4. Keeping the reporters in her peripheral vision, she walked over to the girl and bent down on one knee. It made her heart equally glad to see both the reaction of the little girl and the reactions of the people around her.

"You never let go of your dreams, alright?" said Sofie, scribbling her name across the little girl's magazine. The girl nodded, her eyes sparkling.

Having made somebody's day, Sofie walked confidently the rest of the way to the registration office. At the door, she paused and turned to wave the crowd. They went wild as she blew kiss after kiss. "You'd all better be here when I come out," she called. They responded with a roar that would make a lion jealous.

"Sofie, just walk into the office," whispered her guard, Cole. "You don't need to turn every outing into a publicity stunt."

Sofie rolled her eyes and showered her fans with one last round of blown kisses. Then she let Cole take her by the elbow and guide her through the doors. Before the door closed, she winked at the young man who had whistled.

Then all was silent.

The deafening quiet forced Sofie to bring her mind out of the clouds. She was now here on business. Business that could potentially be life changing. Business that could rocket her popularity. Business that could find her true love. She started to hyperventilate, considering the weight of what she was about to do.

"Hey. Calm down," said Cole quietly.

Sofie paused. She noticed her tense shoulders and did her best to release the stress from them. Her breathing slowed down to a normal pace as she took her place in line next to Cole.

There were whispers. Everybody else in the office turned around to see who had drawn such a crowd. Sofie smiled nervously at them, all of her confidence gone. When there were adoring crowds, she was fine. Confident. But when making a life altering decision surrounded by strangers, she felt a little less at home.

As the line grew shorter and shorter, Sofie felt her feet start to tingle. _No,_ she thought desperately, _not here._

Of all the places to get an anxiety attack, this was one of the worst. Usually she got them when she was at her mansion, alone. When she was there she could crawl under her covers and have a bowl of ice cream and Cole would stand outside her door making sure nobody entered.

She clutched his arm, and he turned to look at her. "It's going to be OK, Sof," he said soothingly. "You just have to breath. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not now," she choked. "Just help me walk."

So he wrapped his arm around her back, his hand warm and soothing as she struggled to compose herself. _You're just taking a picture and filling out a form_ , she told herself. _You do this everyday. There's nothing to worry about._ But her worry crowded her mind, filling her thoughts. She couldn't think rationally, couldn't breathe, couldn't even take a step.

"Walk," said Cole, his voice low.

Sofie shuddered. She pushed against the back of her brain, against the voice telling her to stand stalk still. Finally, legs trembling, she broke through her barrier and walked to the desk.

"Name?" asked the receptionist.

She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She struggled for a few seconds, then gave up.

"Sofie Cosette Lafierre," Cole supplied, squeezing her shoulder.

The lady's eyebrows raised, her face twitching in recognition. But she didn't say anything as she wrote Sofie's name on a small card. She reached out to give it to Sofie, but then changed her mind and handed it to Cole.

"Walk down that hallway until you reach your 3rd door on the right," she instructed, her gaze lingering on Sofie's face.

She managed to nod her head.

"Thank you," Cole said, and guided her towards where the receptionist had gestured. Gratefully, Sofie let him take control.

 _Just a few more steps,_ she told herself. _Make it through three steps, get control of yourself, and smile. Just...smile._

But she couldn't. The door seemed to approach her face at warp speed, coming closer and closer until she thought it might crash into her. So she paused, stiff as a board and mind blank. Paralyzed. Tears streaming down her face.

A voice penetrated the barrier around her brain. "Sofie! Listen to me," hissed Cole. He reached up and pinched her ear.

Using all her willpower, Sofie flicked her eyes to look at him. He was gripping her shoulders, staring at her intently. His pitch dark hair was slicked back, allowing Sofie to stare into his piercing green eyes.

"You are going to be OK," he said. "Because you're going to go in there, you're going to take a picture, you're going to submit it, and you're not going to get Selected." He sighed. "You're famous. You're pretty. You're talented. But there are tons of other girls from Belcourt who are also famous and pretty and talented. So you'll be fine."

And just like that, she was yanked back to earth. She could walk, she could breathe, she could think. With a curt smile at Cole, she glided past him and stepped into the now much less daunting room.

Cole shook his head and followed her in.

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"Tricia, I spilled my crackers," whined Aaron, his little legs swinging as he squirmed in his chair.

Sighing dramatically, Tricia rushed to the kitchen and pulled a fresh bowl out of the cupboard. Then she proceeded to pour her third bowl of crackers in 10 minutes. The cardboard box was nearly empty, so she prayed that he wouldn't "accidentally" dump this batch onto the floor.

She walked back to where Aaron and Miri were sitting at their little dining table. Aaron, a mere 5 years old, shared Tricia's peculiar auburn, almost fuschia hair. His skin, like hers, was icy white, with angular features and dark eyebrows. People used to call Tricia the vampire child, and Aaron was starting to face the same harassment.

Miri, at the age of 9, was nearly their opposite. While her skin was almost as pale as theirs, her hair was a curly orange, and her face was soft and rounded. While she was the odd one out in their family, it generally turned out in her favor. Not many people wanted to associate with the Beaumonts, the only family of 4s on the block, the family with the wounded father, the family with the vampire skin.

At the foot of the mountains, most people owned mansions. It was a different story in the valley, of course, but Tricia's parents had insisted on setting up their shop in the wealthy 3 district. "It will attract more customers," her mother had explained.

 _All it does is attract more stares,_ Tricia thought now as she handed Aaron his food. She looked over at Miri. "I don't suppose you want anything, do you?" she asked tiredly. She hoped the look in her eyes conveyed the message she was trying to send.

If her little sister did notice it, she decided ignored it. "Can I have a glass of milk?" Miri asked.

Rolling her eyes violently, Tricia stormed into the kitchen, yanked the milk out of the fridge, poured it messily into a cup, and stomped back out. "You happy?" she asked sharply.

Without waiting for a response, she turned and whisked down the hallway, heading straight for the door at the end of the hall. Her bedroom was a sanctuary compared to what she went through in the other parts of their apartment.

Tricia's room was what one could possibly call "creative". However, her mother often called it messy. The walls were covered in various paintings she'd created over the years, arranged in no particular order. The result was what her mother said was an eyesore. Blues and reds and greens clashed violently.

And that was just the walls. Her bed was never made in the morning, as she found it an utterly useless chore. Blankets and sheets were strewn everywhere, covering the floor. Her various sculptures that she'd been collecting were littered about the room. Old clothes, borrowed books, and art projects accented the "decor" very nicely.

"I am an artist," Tricia had complained once.

"You are a pack rat," her mother had retorted.

It didn't come up anymore. Her mother was down in the shop so much, she didn't have any time to check in on Tricia and her room. And her father had never cared. So she was left to do whatever she pleased with her things.

Sprawling out across her bed, she picked up one of the books she'd borrowed from her neighbors. _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ was what it was called. Tricia didn't find it that interesting, but the neighbor, a major history buff, insisted that it was a timeless classic every young person ought to read.

"Blah, blah, blah, Wingardium Levi- _o_ -sa," she muttered, scanning the pages. Normally, she liked the books she received from her neighbor's personal library, but this was an utter bore. She threw it down on the floor in disgust.

There was nothing to do in this house. The annual canvases she got for her birthday each year were used up. The 10 books she was permitted per month from her neighbor were either read or stupid Harry Potter. _I could always go take care of my siblings some more,_ she thought sarcastically.

After lying on her bed for a few more minutes, she decided to go out and take a walk. When she was little, she had walked around all the time, taking in the beautiful mountains that surrounded the valley. But the others on the street had mocked her mercilessly, yelling nasty things out their window at her.

Now she was confident enough to ignore them. Nobody shouted anymore, anyways. They dug at the Beaumont family in less obvious ways. Passive aggressive notes, insincere smiles and warm wishes, doggie bags left on their porch.

"I'm going on a walk," she called into her parents' room, shouldering a coat and slipping on her shoes.

"Where to?" her father called back.

Tricia paused. "Just….a walk. Around the neighborhood."

Wheelchair squeaking, Ryan Beaumont rolled out of his room to face his daughter. His skin was wrinkled from years of smiling and laughing, accentuating his sun kissed face. He was the only slightly tan person in their family. But even though he didn't look like the rest of them, he was bullied perhaps even more than Tricia' mother, siblings, and herself.

10 years ago, he'd been fighting in the war against Brazil. The last day before the surrender, he'd had his knee shot. They'd had to amputate, there had been no other way for him to have survived. Now he was confined to a chair, confined to the mockery of the people he'd sacrificed so much for.

"I don't want you going anywhere unless it's useful. Your siblings really need you right now," he said, "But if you were doing something productive, I could let you out for a few minutes."

 _Rats._

"I….uh….I guess I could run down to the registration office and sign up for the Selection," she offered weakly.

But her father could see the desperation in her eyes. "Go ahead, kid," he sighed. "Please be back, soon."

Relief flooded Tricia's heart. She smiled fondly and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Papa," she said, then turned and skipped down the stairs.

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 **HI once again my friends. I really like both of these characters, and I'm excited to see more of them in the future. I'm incredibly grateful** **to those of you that leave reviews regularly, and I want to encourage those of you who don't to please leave me a note or a suggestion telling me how I'm doing! Thanks XX**


	8. Chapter 8: Eli

3 days until he Selected her. 4 days until he could read her profile. 5 days until she came to the palace. 6 days before he met her.

It played over and over in Eli's head, banging against his skull and filling his heart with gladness. This time next week he would have met his future wife. She would be here, in the palace, perhaps confused, perhaps excited. In need of his help. Eli felt an unexpected surge of tenderness in his heart, such a deep love for her. He paused in his steps as he was overcome with the sensation. To his shock, tears began to form in his eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Brinley snorted as she walked by, carrying a large stack of papers most likely from her tutoring session. Her dark, bouncy hair was pulled up into a halfhearted ponytail.

"None of your business," he retorted.

She shrugged, and hurried down the hall, dropping papers. Eli grinned after her affectionately. This brought another thought to mind. A worry, to be more specific. He thought about his initial concern when he first announced his plan to his family. Would she love his sisters as much as he did? Would they click together?

Shaking his head violently, he pushed those thoughts from his mind. Right now, he needed some way to channel all of this emotion he felt. Something that he could preserve and look back on, something that would fully encapsulate what he wanted to say.

"A letter," he said aloud. A passing maid looked at him strangely, but Eli was too excited to even notice. The idea was growing in his mind, consuming his thoughts until all he could think of was what to write. What to say to her? How could he tell her just how much he loved her?

He started to walk to his room, then decided that wasn't fast enough. As a child, he'd been reprimanded not to run through the halls. However, he was the crown prince. If he wanted to, he would hold a one man marathon in the castle to reach his room and tell his future wife exactly what he was thinking, gosh darn it.

"Stop running," Queen Georgianna called as he dashed by.

Letting out a delighted cry, he replied, "No!" Then he continued to sprint as fast as he could.

He reached his room, and slammed the door behind him. His manservant, Stanley, looked up from the suit he was stitching. "What brings you in here, your highness?" he asked, standing stiffly.

"Get me a paper and pencil, stat," panted Eli. "And there's nobody with me, you're good."

Immediately, Stanley relaxed. "On it, boss," he said with a mocking salute. He walked over to Eli's desk and grabbed a crisp sheet of golden lined paper, along with the coal black fountain pen that Stella had gotten him for his 20th birthday.

"Thank you, Stanley," Eli said, finally calmed down. They stood for a moment, Eli looking expectantly at his servant.

Finally, he got the memo. "You want me to leave?" he asked with a smirk.

"If you could," Eli replied with a grimacing smile.

Chuckling, Stanley backed out of the room. "I don't know why you're so crazy about this whole Selection thing," he said with a sly grin. "I mean, I know she's your future wife and all, but man. Writing a whole letter to somebody you don't know? That's crazy."

"How did you-" Eli started to ask, but Stanley was already out of the room.

Now that he was alone, with no murmur of the castle or watching eye of his servant, the prospect of his plan seemed a little foolish. Childish, even. Stanley was right. He didn't even know the girl yet. His soulmate might not even be among those selected.

However, he was determined nonetheless. So he took a seat on his bed, and started to scrawl his message.

 _Dear future wife,_

He paused. That was so formal. No way to address the love of his life. He scratched it out and started again.

 _My Love,_

That felt right.

 _At the time that this letter is being written, I do not know who you are. The Selection itself is in 3 days, and I couldn't be more excited. To think that next week I will have met you and talked to you is just astounding to me. It's almost incomprehensible._

He wrote for nearly half an hour, scribbling hopes and dreams and aspirations. He inscribed promise after promise after promise, pouring his heart and soul into the little piece of paper. He became so consumed, he didn't hear Stanley at his door, knocking quietly.

Eventually, Stanley just let himself in. "Your highness," he said in a slightly mocking voice, "Your presence is requested downstairs posthaste. Your father seems slightly put out, so I advise you to tread carefully."

"A thousand thank yous," Eli replied in the same mocking tone, "I shall depart forthwith. Make yourself at home, and I pray thee, do not submit yourself to the temptation to read what I have so eloquently put down on paper."

"My, but you are eloquent," Stanley replied, now barely restraining his laughter. "If I had not known you to be an unintelligent prat, I might have assumed that you were a man of unsurpassed education."

Eli clicked his tongue. "What was meant to attack me only compliments my immense wit and talent to charm."

Stanley finally chuckled. "Go see your family," he said. "I won't look at your letter."

"Thanks, man," the Prince replied, before turning and walking out into the hallway. He felt a rush of gratitude towards the man who'd been with him for years now. Good old Stanley.

But when he arrived downstairs, all positive feeling vanished. His family's faces were grim and they sat silently around the table. Nobody was touching their food, not even Brinley, who usually ate with gusto to rival a grown man.

"Who died?" Eli joked, trying to lift the heavy air covering the dining room. He chuckled lamely, but his family didn't join him.

"Eli," his mother warned somberly. "We're going to need you to be serious about this situation. None of your jokes. None of your antics. Just….treat it with respect."

Worry struck his heart. "Of course. What happened?"

At that moment, Brinley burst into raucous tears. She clutched her mother's hand and cried like her arm had been torn out. Eli had seen her cry before, but never like this. This felt vulnerable, almost wrong. He was looking in on a sacred scene.

He walked around the table and put his hands on her shoulders, doing his best to comfort her as well as stay focused. "What happened?" he repeated, more firmly this time.

King Hanson sighed. "A few of our guards was out on patrol when he noticed something strange on the southern border of the palace wall. It looked like graffiti, with a large pile of cloth underneath it. Upon closer examination, they discovered that the pile of cloth was actually 2 people lying down."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Eli said, "So it was just Sneaker and Bash then?" he asked, in reference to the homeless 8s that sometimes sought refuge within the palace walls.

But Queen Amberly shook her head grimly. "The graffiti said, 'This Selection will not take place'. And the people lying down were dead."

His head began to spin, stomach doing a contortionists routine. It was eerily parallel to when he'd fainted just the day earlier. Like his world was falling apart and crumbling to bits before his very eyes.

"Who were the bodies?" he asked, barely daring to hear the answer.

For the first time, Stella spoke up. With a haunted look in her eyes, she said, "Queen Ines and Colette."


	9. Chapter 9: Ana and Lia

The crisp white envelope in Ana's hands stared up at her dauntingly. It seemed smug, with it's neatly printed address and wrinkle free front. The perfect envelope, holding either a bright future or a stormy failure. Ana was having second thoughts about this whole party thing. Maybe just her parents and Abby would have been fine. If she _had_ gotten rejected, she didn't necessarily want her aunt, uncle, cousins, and friends there.

She did a quick survey of the room. Uncle Ivan, her father's brother, was there with his wife, Aunt Alicia. She loved them both dearly, but it would be a major downer if they travelled an hour and a half just to watch her come up with nothing. Their son, Jose, was nowhere to be seen. If Ana had to make a guess, she would say he was probably hitting on her friends and binging on the champagne they'd bought for the occasion.

A lot of her friends from High School were there, people she hadn't seen in months. All of that was slightly awkward, but so far they were all having a good time. It would be more awkward if the letter was negative.

"You nervous?"

Ana turned to see her roomate, Abby. She smiled gratefully, happy that at least one person that she wanted to be was there.

"I'm terrified," Ana replied.

Abby laughed. "Just last week you were talking about how confident you were that next year you'd be fighting crime on the streets of Havana."

"You make it sound so much dumber than it actually was," she complained, taking a swipe at Abby's face. "All I was saying was that I had an excellent interview, resume, application, and tryout. Plus, I'm a legacy."

"Sure," Abby said. "That's why you've had pictures of this Academy on our bulletin board since we got to college."

Letting out an exasperated yet affectionate groan, Ana stormed away. "I'm done with you. Why don't you go meet my cousins or something. I'm sure you'd treat them better than you treat me."

"Nooo," Abby said, grabbing Ana's wrist and dragging her towards her living room couch. "The last time I met your cousins, I introduced by saying, 'My name is Abby but my boyfriend calls me sexy.' I don't think I can ever face them in polite company again."

Erupting into a burst of laughter, Ana conceded to sit on the couch next to her best friend. "It's not like they think any less of you, you know. These are the cousins that spend their free time tying chickens to firecrackers and letting them loose in their neighborhood."

Abby's giggled infectiously, and Ana felt immense gratitude. In the 45 seconds she'd been there, her mood had increased drastically. It made sense that she wanted to enjoy her own party, right?

"It's time, _chica_ ," her father said, leaning heavily on his cane as he took a seat. He winked at her, and though his exterior was calm, Ana knew he was bursting on the inside. He'd been to the Illean Law Enforcement and Protection Academy, affectionately known as ILEPA, when he was Ana's age. He had becoming a cop, and eventually a senior guard at the palace itself. Unfortunately, he'd been shot in a stray rebel attack. He'd been honorably discharged and sent home, though his left leg would never work the same way again.

Now his daughter was taking the same path he had. Ana knew she would be thrilled if her children admired her and her work that much.

Her mother was not. There had been a decent amount of conflict when Ana had applied for the Academy. She had accused her daughter of becoming a cop only so that her father would be pleased.

But Ana didn't want to focus on that now. For now, all that was on her mind was the little white envelope. What was inside? What would it tell her?

" _Abrir_ ," Julio complained. _Open_. At the age of 6, he didn't have much patience.

Ana clucked her tongue at him. "Just wait, _primito_ ," she reprimanded. "I'm going to open it in _cinco…cuatro…tres…_ "

Her family and friends joined in, their expressions varying from pure exhilaration to unabashed horror. It was quite obvious to Ana which of her family members approved of her decision.

" _Dos…_. _Uno…_."

Ana tore open the envelope.

"Ana Alvarado," she choked out. "Thank you so much for your application to the Illean Law Enforcement and Protection Academy. As you are well aware, there were over 35 thousand applicants. It was an extraordinarily difficult process narrowing down the options, and in the process, we unfortunately had to make many cuts."

Her brain tingled with fuzz, dread blooming in her stomach. It triggered in the back of her mind that she had been rejected. In her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse of her mother breathing a sigh of relief. Her father, brow furrowed, nodded at her to continue.

"It is our solemn duty to tell you," she read shakily, "That you, Ana Alvarado, have been…accepted to come to ILEPA in the fall of 2394."

An eruption of cheers burst her eardrums as she continued to scan the page. "You have been selected as one of 1,000 people to attend as class of 2399. You will arrive before August 25th, 2394, and training begins promptly on August 27th, 2394." She trailed off, realizing that nobody was listening anymore.

It was difficult for Ana to look at all of the cheering people. Abby was already breaking out the champagne, her cousins were serenading the room with their rendition of _We are the Champions,_ an ancient tune from 400 years ago that was somehow still sung at every celebration. Her father had a tear streaming down his face, and was praying in rapid spanish.

So Ana didn't have the heart to announce that earlier that day, she'd made a decision that could possibly alter her life course. Probably not permanently, but it would push things back a few years.

However, for the moment, her family was happy. She would tell them later.

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"You're trying to pull yourself through the water, not slap it," Lia said with a small laugh. Lucas floundered desperately.

"It's too deep, Lia," he complained dramatically, embellishing his statement with an over the top splash. He dunked his head under the water and wriggled out of Lia's grasp. He surfaced a few feet away with a little giggle, then began to wade through the shallow waters. His four year old legs didn't help him much, though, and soon he found himself crashing to the sandy seabed.

Lia laughed. "Come back here, you little dolphin."

"I'm not a dolphin," Lucas said determinedly. "I'm a tera...donday _._ "

Giving him a playful splash, Lia asked, "Do you mean a _tetraodontidae?_ Because you look more like a little boy than a puffer fish to me. Now do you want to learn how to swim or not?"

With a resigned sigh, Lucas marched slowly back to where Lia sat. "I don't wanna do the kicking," he said rebelliously.

Lia pretended to consider this. "But then," she said slyly, "you will never be able to fly!" And with that, she scooped him out of the water and lifted him through the air. He cackled gleefully in the ocean breeze, his chubby arms stretched out in front of him.

A voice echoed from the beach. "Lia, you're supposed to be teaching Lucas how to swim," her mother, Eileen, called from her comfortable looking folding chair. She wore a pair of sunglasses newly imported from Honolulu, over in the Western Isles. As always, she wore a stylish sundress, thin and refreshing in the hot Honduragua summer.

"Mom, please, it's so nice out," Lia replied, gently placing her little brother back in the water. "Can't you just let us play the rest of the afternoon? He's made really good progress."

But her mother was already packing her things up. "If you aren't going to do what we came to do, we need to go home and help Robert prepare dinner. Remember?"

She remembered. And it wasn't that she didn't want to help her stepfather prepare whatever delicious Honduraguan food he was making tonight. It was just that the ocean was particularly beautiful today, and she wasn't ready to leave it just yet.

However, it was very difficult to convince her mother of something once she'd made her mind up. She was what some people referred to as a "strong minded woman". And she didn't like to be kept waiting. So Lia reluctantly took Lucas's hand and they walked slowly up the sandy hill to where she was waiting.

But before she made it, Lia stopped, shivering. She turned back to the water. Something about it was calling to her, trying to tell her something. She could see it in the white tipped waves in the shimmering sun, setting slowly over the edge of the horizon. It whispered, almost like a soft hiss.

It wasn't the first time she'd heard the ocean. When she was little, it used to tell her things. Things like when the next storm would hit, or if my family was unhappy. Little things, but things nonetheless.

This was not so much a piece of advice, but a push. A push to pursue the idea that had been circulating through her head for days. Ever since Lucas had asked her what she did other than swim and run the shop. She had come to the realization that she did nothing. She had no experiences. She'd barely even lived.

She thanked the ocean quietly, then ran to catch up to her mother.

They didn't live that far from the seaside. It was a five minute walk at most. Because they lived at the very edge of Honduragua, they weren't susceptible to the disgusting air pollution that plagues the cities. Her mother and Robert liked to call it their own little patch of paradise. Only three other families lived within a mile of them, and the school was 10 miles away, in the nearest town. They only owned one car.

Of course, they hadn't always lived that way. When Lia had been very little, they had lived on the coast of Angeles. Just her and her parents. However, there had been a….difference of agreement. So when she turned 3 years old, her mother had taken her and moved as far away as she could. To Lia's knowledge, her father still didn't know where they were.

Robert was good to them. He came into their lives when Lia was 10. When he'd offered to marry my mother, she'd been skeptical at best. She had watched one too many Cinderella movie to trust step parents.

However, he'd eventually grown on her. She wouldn't say he was a father figure, but she definitely loved him. Plus, he'd brought Lucas into her life. Her sweet, sassy, chubby little half brother. He'd been born when she was 17. As such, she'd ended up becoming a secondary guardian for him. Not that it mattered, she loved watching him and playing with him.

They walked into the house, dripping sand and salty water. Robert was hunched over a stove, stirring a pan full of some sort of meat. The smell was divine, as usual.

"Busy day?" Eileen asked, giving her husband a kiss on the cheek.

"Not exactly," he replied. "How's Lucas doing with his swimming?"

Lia perked up. "He's pretty much got the arm movement down, but the kicking is a little sub-par." She rustled his hair, and he looked up at her with a goofy grin.

Walking briskly over into the dining room, Eileen asked, "Have you given any more thought to which college you're going to? You've got three offers waiting for you on the coffee room table. It's about time you start living life."

"About that," Lia said, reaching into her purse. "I think I've found a solution."

She pulled out a prized item, something that could launch her from her place. Her mother's face grew excited, her eyes shining with the light of a thousand stars. Lia remembered hearing stories about her own mother's selection. She hadn't made it far. The first group dismissal had been the end of the line for her. But she treasured that time like it was a priceless family heirloom.

"I'm applying. And with luck, I'll be Selected. Then maybe I'll get off my feet and make something out of myself," she promised. "And who knows? Maybe you're talking to your future queen."

Her mother reached for her and pulled her into a massive bear hug. "I'm proud of you, darling," she whispered, stroking her daughter's hair. They sat like that until Robert called them to the table, as family dinner was finally ready.

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 **HI everybody I'm back! Sorry, I got caught up in a lot of things. Hope y'all liked this chapter! I love Lucas so much. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people write kids as acting younger than they really are. I have a sister who's about 4, so I was able to base Lucas off of her. The thing with kids that age is that they generally have pretty good grammar. They don't say things like "I hungry". Just imagine his voice really high and young, with lots of stuttering and pausing:)**


	10. Chapter 10: Eli

Stanley stood at the side of his bed, his face disapproving and impatient. His foot tapped, sending Eli's migraine into an overload. "You can't just lie in bed all day and hope this predicament is going to vanish, you know. There's a million things you have to do. You have to contact France-"

"Ambassador Keeling is doing that," came Eli's reply from beneath his pillow.

"Address the people-"

"Dad."

"Deal with any allegations-"

"Mom."

"Comfort your family, for goodness sakes, Eli! What has gotten into you?" Stanley cried, yanking Eli's sheets off his bed. "You have got to step up. You're going on the Report to start your Selection in three days, 2 of the most important people in the world just got murdered inside your property, and you're wasting your time having a crisis in bed? Don't you think that's what we all want to do?"

This struck Eli's heart. He looked up at his servant, grasping for a response, but found that he had none. Everything Stanley had said was true. There was no denying that Eli was, in informal terms, slacking off.

"Can you get my clothes, please?" he asked simply. Stanley seemed to be about to argue, but held his tongue. He disappeared to the other side of Eli's room.

It was like a group of miners was drilling for gold in his skull. He grimaced as a new wave of pain hit his forehead full on. For the last two hours, he'd been in a state of what one might call "shock". His headache was getting so intense, he'd considered sending for a medic.

It was just his luck. Just his luck that this would happen just before one of the most important moments of his life. It hurt him to think about the poor french royals. Queen Ines, while aggravating, had been like an aunt to him. And he'd practically grown up with Colette. To think of their brutal murder made him recoil.

Stanley returned, holding a pair of casual clothes. Just a tee shirt and some pants. It created an eye of peace in the storm to see such familiar objects. Eli accepted them gratefully.

"So what are you going to do?" Stanley asked.

Eli tapped his chin. "First," he decided, "I'm going to go and comfort Stella. She seemed the most broken up about it. We'll see where things go from there."

His servant nodded. "Wise decision," he said, then hesitated. It seemed like he wanted to say something else. "I…I'm sorry if I sounded harsh earlier. It was just difficult to see you that way. I want what's best for Illea and for you."

"My fault," Eli replied with a wave of his hand. "Thanks for snapping me out of it." And that was that.

After he was dressed, he strode out into the hallway. When not dressed in formal clothes, he almost felt like an imposter in the distinctly tidy and ornate palace. It may have been his home for 21 years, but it was also the third most expensive establishment in the world. Suddenly, he wasn't as excited about his clothes as he had been before.

As he turned a corner, lost in his own little world, he crashed smack into a person going the opposite direction. Both subsequently tumbled to the floor.

"I'm so sorry," Eli said quickly, offering his hand to the girl sprawled on the ground beside him. "I wasn't looking where I was going, I wasn't paying attention. If you dropped anything important, I can help carry it, I'll take you to the Infirmary if you're injur-"

The girl looked up, and he saw that it was none other than Starr. "Oh, it's you," he said, infinitely less panicked than he had been before. He reached out and pulled her to her feet. "Where were you going in such a hurry?"

"Where were _you_ going that caused you to knock a lady off her feet?" Starr asked indignantly, though a glint in her eye told Eli she meant no harm.

"I'm just on my way to see Stella," he explained. "She seemed pretty scarred after what happened. Brinley was crying and but I've never seen Stel so quiet."

"I'll walk you there," Starr said. "I can delay the Report rehearsal."

They set off down the hallway. It occured to Eli that though he'd only known her for about a year, he couldn't imagine life without her. She had her moments, of course. The party last week had been mostly forgotten in the mad chase to sign up for the Selection; however, moments still floated through Eli's head every few days.

"Are you excited for Friday?" she asked.

A shiver raced up and down his body. "More than you could know," he gushed. "I keep imagining scenarios. Some good. Some mediocre. And a few where they find out about my obsession with 'The Cones of Dunshire' on the first day.

Starr elbowed him. "That's the most popular board game in Illea. They'll think you're cool."

"Oh, honey," Eli reminded her. "They'll already think I'm cool."

They laughed loudly, attracting the attention of a nearby scullery maid. She hustled by quickly, muttering about the state of the world these days. Eli and Starr stared after, trying and failing to control more laughter.

"But seriously," she said. "I'm sure they're all going to love you."

"And I'm going to love all of them," he replied earnestly. "Honestly, my biggest problem is going to be eliminating people. How am I going to let people go home?"

Starr smiled fondly. "You're too nice," she complained affectionately. "How are you ever going to make decisions as King?"

Sighing, Eli replied, "You can worry about that along with my father. And mother. And Stanley at this point." He scuffed his foot on the ground as they arrived at Stella's room.

"You want me to come in?" she asked.

After a moment's hesitation, Eli replied, "Thanks, but I think this is something I have to do myself. I'll see you later."

"See you later," Starr replied with her quirky little half smile. Then she was down the hall, her long blonde braid dragging behind her. "Don't say anything dumb," she called back.

Eli shook his head, and knocked gently on the door. "Stel?" he called.

The door popped open quietly, and he saw his little sister. She looked terrible, with her mascara in big clumps under her eyes and her hair pulled up in a scraggly bun. "What is it?" she sniffed miserably.

"I just wanted to see if you were ok," he replied. "Can I come in?"

She nodded, biting her lip and opening the door all the way.

It had been a while since he'd been to her room. Stella was undoubtedly the quietest of his siblings. It wasn't a bad thing, but it also meant that he didn't talk to her as much as he might talk to Brooklyn and Brinley.

Stella sat, despondent, on her bed. Eli couldn't help but notice that there were a few pictures strewn across it, all of them showing Colette. A shot of them at Stella's 12th birthday party, a glimpse of a night out in the southern part of the capital, a glamor shot meant to capture the attention of the Prime Minister of England's son. Everything

"I know Colette was one of your good friends," he said slowly. Stella sniffled in acknowledgement, but didn't say anything.

It took Eli a while to try and find the words. "I am really disturbed by what happened," he said, "but I know that you are much more distraught than I. And I don't know what it feels like to lose somebody that close to me, but I want to try my best to help you. So just let me-"

"Stop," Stella said suddenly.

Eli obliged, too shocked to continue with what he had been saying.

"I know that you have good intentions," she said. "But you aren't doing this because you really care about me and my feelings. You're doing this because it's your job as Crown Prince. And while I appreciate the sentiment, I don't want your condolences unless they are genuine. Now please get out of my room."

It was the angriest Eli had ever seen his middle sister. It shocked him so much, he obeyed her words and left the room without another word.

The hallway was empty. Eli walked silently back to his room. This time, he didn't bump into anybody.

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 **I thought things were too good between Eli and his family. Nothing like some good old fashioned angst to add to the drama. Next chapter is going to introduce the last two girls, so I promise that those of you that have been waiting to see your OC, they're definitely coming up!**


	11. Chapter 11: Ava and Vela

"You know, we could always just stay here at my house and watch it by ourselves," Ava suggested. She reached up and brushed the stray strand of hair out of her face, looking at her friend hopefully. "Silla's going to be here."

But not even the mention of her attractive older brother could dissuade Cela. "Luava Qappik," she reprimanded. "You haven't been anywhere with anybody other than me or your family in two weeks. It's time to expand your boundaries more. You know Helen is a perfectly nice girl, and so are the other kids that are going to be there. Besides, if one of us does get selected, wouldn't you rather celebrate with friends?"

"No," Ava answered quietly, but despite her best efforts, she was soon dragged through her front door and out into the snowy night.

It always, _always_ snowed in December. Just like it snowed in January, February, March, April, May, September, October, and November. In June, July, and August, it slushed. Generally, the temperature never rose above 60 degrees fahrenheit. One time, when Ava had been about 7, it had gone up all the way to 84 degrees. Kids had stripped off their sweaters gleefully, wearing shorts and tee shirts and playing all day outside. The next, day, however, it had dropped back to 35 degrees, and was snowing. Again.

Ava didn't mind the snow, though. It was as natural as sun. She still loved tromping through it on a cold winter day on a solitary walk, or curling up in her room with a good book and simply watching the big, white flakes drift to the ground.

"Are you hoping to get selected, Ava?" Cela asked as they started down the icy path that led to the more populated part of the village. "Wait. Let me guess. You'd rather watch the Selection from the comfort of your own home, laughing at the stupidity of it all."

Winking at her friend, Ava replied, "You know me so well." She sighed. "I don't know why I even signed up."

Cela elbowed her. "It's part of the culture. Every girl signs up for the Selection. It's practically a law. This opportunity generally only comes around a few times a century. Plus, it's unlikely you'd even be the right age when it did happen. This year's range is particularly low. And we just happen to fall into it." She looked dreamily into the cloudy sky. "It's like fate."

Cela was particularly beautiful. She had glossy blonde hair that looked like silver in the right light. Her skin was as fair as the snow she lived in, with eyes like the icy lakes surrounding their town. She moved gracefully and with purpose, demanding attention without even trying. She would make a marvelous Queen.

"I bet you'll get Selected," Ava said. "And I bet you'll win the whole thing. You're probably the prettiest girl in Illea."

"Well pretty isn't everything," Cela replied kindly. "And besides, that's not even true. You're 10 times prettier than I am."

It was difficult for Ava to stifle her laugh. Her? More beautiful than the exquisite Cecilie Stenburg? She was practically the opposite of her. She had golden brown skin given to her by her Inuit ancestors, and thick black hair that fell to her waist. However, her nose was too thin, and her chin was too pointy. Definitely not Selected material.

"At least if you went to the castle, you'd get to meet Prince Eli," Cela suggested.

At this, Ava's heart melted. She'd been desperately in love with the Prince when she was little, his beautiful face searing itself in her mind. As she'd grown older, however, she'd come to reality. But hearing his name or seeing him on TV always made her heart skip a beat.

The house of Helen Andrews came into view, and Ava had to repress a shiver. It wasn't that Helen was mean or anything. Quite the opposite, in fact. She was one of the most likeable girls Ava had ever met. They knew each other well, after being in the same class their last year of school.

The thing was, there were going to be other girls there. Girls Ava didn't like as much. Girls that whispered mean things and pointed perfectly shaped fingers. Girls that got in people's business and spread it like syrup. Ava would much rather have stayed home with Cela, joking around with her older brother Silla and her younger brother, Mat. At home she was comfortable.

"You'll be fine, Ava," Cela comforted. They walked up the three little steps and faced the door.

Ava took a deep shaky breath, and turned to her friend. "Now what?" she asked.

"You get to knock," replied Cela with an impish grin.

Ava sighed. She loved Cela with all of her heart, but she didn't always understand the line. Ava didn't mind being pushed out to interact with others from time to time, but she at least expected her best friend to understand what she needed to be comfortable.

But knocking on the door was simple enough. She rapped her knuckles three times in quick succession, then stepped backwards so it would seem like Cela had done the knocking.

The door opened, and standing there was Helen. "Cecelie!" she exclaimed, wrapping the girl in a big bear hug. Ava half smiled awkwardly, looking past them into the house. She could see two other girls, Lena Matthews and Kylie Davis, looking up at them with unabashed distaste. Suddenly, Ava could feel herself shrinking in on herself.

But then Helen's arms were around her. "Ava, I'm so glad you could come," she said, her voice dripping with sincerity and eagerness. "Cela said you might not be able to make it, but I really hoped you would." She pulled back with a little bounce and a smile to light up a room. "And here you are!"

Despite herself, Ava couldn't help but smile. She decided that it could be worse. She could be in a room with complete strangers competing for the favor of one of the most important men in the world. Luckily, she wouldn't, nor would she ever be.

As the three of them descended into Helen's basement, Ava heard slips of the conversation Lena and Kylie were having.

"Why is she here? I mean she's not even..."

"...wasting her time."

More than anything, she wanted to turn and run home now. Run away from these girls and the anger surrounding them. But she'd made a promise, and now there was no turning back.

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Vela added a handful of chips to her plate, covering the last empty spot. She still could not believe how much food was at the party. The table stretched from either side of the room, bearing salads, chips, salsa, nachos, soda, cookies, and a million other things. Vela wouldn't have expected anything less, though. This party was, after all, hosted by Lyza. And Lyza didn't do things halfway.

She made her way back to where the other partygoers were sitting. Despite the enormous array of snacks, there were only about people there. However, the paparazzi were still trying desperately to get a glimpse of the inside. Lyza Rambley, whose songs had topped the charts for the last month, was holding a Selection party. She'd invited a small number of her tour crew.

There was Gina Gerson, her keyboard player; there was Karle Thomas, her bass guitar; there was Peter Denham, the drums; John Marjan, her manager; Sarah Scott, her artistic director; and her three backup dancers: Trinity Young, Samantha McLeod, and Vela.

"Hey, Peter," Lyza called, "are you hoping to be Selected?"

The drummer made a prissy face. "Hoping? Babe, I _know_ that I'm going to that palace. You're talking to your future queen right now." He flipped his shoulder length hair dramatically, making everybody chuckle.

"Let's be honest," Karle said. "Vela would definitely win the selection if she got picked."

Vela laughed. "Please," she said, "if I had to go up against Pete I'd be home in a heartbeat."

"Girl knows her place," Peter cawed triumphantly.

Smiling to herself, Vela felt a rush of warmth trickle from her head to her feet. She was relatively new to the performing world. When she'd started this job, Lyza had been pretty popular. But in the two months of touring, she'd become one of the biggest hits in the world. Vela thought she'd bitten off more than she could chew.

But instead, she was adjusting well to this life. If things continued on the path that they were on now, she would be appealing to the Caste Offices in Angeles for a caste change. It was uncommon, but it had happened in the past. Besides, no self respecting performer would do such high profile things with such a low caste.

"You hoping to win, Vela?" asked Samantha. Vela and Samantha had been dancing together since they were 4. At the age of 14, they'd put their services up for sale. Ever since then, they'd been gaining bigger and bigger jobs.

Trinity interrupted, "No, cause she wants to marry Karle."

Trinity was the third member of their little trio. She'd moved to Vela and Samantha's Panama neighborhood when they were 10. Already an experienced dancer, she'd fit right in with the other girls.

"First of all, Karle smells like a toilet," Vela dead panned. "Second, I have my eyes on the prize." She sighed contentedly. "Imagine if I were Queen. A One. Instead of living with you bozos, I'd be sipping finely imported tea in Angeles."

"With that HUNK, Eli," Peter interjected.

Vela raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that definitely would hurt," she admitted. "He's cute and everything. Not really my type, but I take what I can get."

For the first time, John Marjan spoke up. "Speaking of caste, I have a special surprise for Vela, Samantha, and Trinity," he announced. "Think of it as your end-of-tour gift. From me and all of the gang."

Excitement sprang to life in Vela's chest. Could it be? She glanced over at Lyza, who was grinning like a fox. Something was up, and by the sounds of it, it was going to be Vela's caste. Had John actually gone out and raised it? Would she finally get the title of 4? Maybe even a 3? It didn't match her profession, but it was better than being a 5.

Lyza stood, and Vela saw that she was holding three envelopes. Vela felt a hand grip her arm tightly, and she turned to see Samantha grinning with exhilaration. "It's happening," her friend squeaked.

One envelope went to each girl. Vela's suspicions were confirmed when she saw the return address: Caste Offices, 44 Main St, Francisco, Angeles, 94130. The place she'd dreamed of getting an appeal from, was now sending her the most important letter of her life.

Lyza cleared her throat. "Lyza Rambley," she began, reading off her own letter. "You have written an appeal to our homebase, the Caste Offices, in regards to the promotion of the caste of Vela Elliot, Samantha McLeod, and Trinity Young. In many cases, such applications are denied with the warmest wishes. In this instance, however, they have achieved the endorsement of a member of that own caste. Their accomplishments meet the required quota for promotion. Their status raise (i.e. 5 to 2) will be effective immediately. Sincerely, Jon Hudges. Senior surveyor of the Caste Offices."

Shocked silence.

Then Samantha, as always, broke it. "We're 2s?"

"You're 2s!" Lyza cried, throwing her letter into the air. "And not only that, there are three contracts in the back commiting you to my personal team for the next five years. You'll act as dancers in my videos, tours, concerts, everything. All you have to do is sign."

Vela whipped around to face the other faces. "You all knew about this?" she cried.

"Yeah," came Peter's eager reply.

She threw her fists against his shoulders in a mocking punch. "And you didn't tell me?" she yelled, half laughing, half crying. "You kept it a secret from me?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "Lyza told us that if we told you she'd cut us all from the show."

"And I'm still going to," the singer threatened, "if both of you don't quiet down and watch the Report. That's literally why we're here."

They turned their attention to the TV, but Vela was too excited to pay attention. The words of the letter kept returning to her brain. She was a two, there was nothing she couldn't do, nowhere she couldn't go, and nobody she couldn't see.

The world was her playground, and she was about to have some fun.

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 **Phew! That's the last of the girls! Next chapter is the big one, and I'm really, really excited!**


	12. Chapter 12: All

"Eli. Calm yourself," Brinley said as she walked to the seats behind him.

He whipped around to face her. "I can't calm down," he hissed. "Would you honestly be able to control yourself if you were in my situation?"

Brinley shrugged and sat down next to Brooklyn and Stella. Brooklyn gave him an encouraging thumbs up and mouthed words he couldn't quite make out. But Stella sat in stony silence, staring into the studio audience.

There was a clatter from the back, and Starr came rushing in. She hadn't gone all out today-Eli had asked her not too. He'd claimed it was because she shouldn't draw too much attention to herself after the fiasco, but in reality, he wanted the people focusing solely on him. Was that so wrong?

"Starting in 2," called the cameraman.

Starr snapped her fingers. "Hey, look at me," she said sharply. Eli obliged, turning to her with his face filled with fear. "I can't do it," he murmured. "I can't. I'll freeze up and look like an idiot on National Television."

"You do that anyway," Starr said, waving her hand dismissively. "If you really want to, you can always have me do it."

Taking a deep breath, he replied, "No. Thank you. But I have to do it."

She smiled at him, something bittersweet in the corner of her eye. "I know you do."

"Live in 5….4….3….2….rolling!"

Starr plastered her camera grin onto her face and turned to face the camera. Eli could barely hear her intro, the blood was pounding in his head. There were 35 slips of paper in front of him, sealed neatly into crisp cream envelopes. In one of them was his future wife. The thought nearly made him throw up from both excitement and nerves.

"We have our beloved Prince Eli here, ready to make the big announcements. I don't think we have any other business here, so we should probably get started. Anything you want to say to the girls out there?"

Eli cleared his throat and tugged at his collar. "It's like I said," he suggested. "Be yourself, give me your beautiful personalities and we'll have a good time. In the end, only one can win, so just have fun."

He reached for the first packet, opened it, and pulled the paper out.

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"Sage Kennedy Marson, Sonage, 3."

Sage whipped her head to face the T.V. just in time to see her face flash in the top left corner. Her eyes squinted, trying to discern if it was her or if it was just some random, bizarre coincidence.

But no. She was wearing the same necklace in the picture as she was wearing now. There was no mistaking it. It had been her little sister's prized necklace, all made out of glittering diamonds and gold.

 _I've been Selected._

Before she knew it, the glass cup that had been in her hand was on the ground, shattering into a million pieces. She felt the shards scrape her ankles and feet, but she couldn't care less. All she could see was Prince Elias's face, and her picture to his left.

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"Reina Isavich Yeres, Angeles, 6."

Eyes widening in disbelief, Reina squinted over at the TV just in time to catch a glimpse of her picture being displayed. Blonde curls, light brown eyes, sour expression like she'd just taken a bite out of a lemon.

Her heart sank miserably. She tried desperately to reason, telling herself that it couldn't possibly be her. She couldn't go to the castle and listen to 1s boss her around. It was bad enough driving entitled 2s and 3s around all day.

But when she looked over at her mother, she couldn't ignore the light that was shining in Jeneve's eyes.

 _I guess I'm doing this now,_ she thought. _But I don't have to enjoy it._ _And I'm not going to play nice._

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"Viviana Nia Ebony, Ottaro, 3."

Levi yelled, a guttural cry of triumph. He turned to Viv and grabbed her shoulders wildly. "You did it, you're going to the palace!"

A slow smile spread its way across Viv's face. One part of her was on top of the world, staring at the picture Eadlyn Schreave University she'd pinned to the wall. But another part of her wanted to leap into her Pit of Thought and never come out, endlessly dreaming of what her palace life would be like. Visions of silver gowns and intricate meals danced in her mind. It was something she'd always dreamed about, and soon, it would be hers.

But, as always, her gaze slid back to Levi, who was now waltzing with his mother in celebration, his beautiful green eyes alight. What would she do without him?

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"Sofie Cosette Lafierre, Belcourt, 2."

She wasn't shocked. Not particularly. This was what she wanted, and she very often had luck on her side. Sometimes luck was winning a contract with Cascade. Sometimes it was being Selected to travel to Angeles to meet Prince Elias.

Her father applauded from his armchair, the stupid cigar stuck in his mouth as he scrolled the evening paper he hadn't had time to read in the morning. He was happy for her, and knew that she was collected and happy, too.

Except, was she really?

Was she really happy? Was she going to stay calm? She didn't know. She didn't seem to know anything these days. She didn't know how to be queen or win the heart of a prince.

"I'm proud of you, Sof," came Cole's soothing voice. She looked into his eyes and saw pride, but also a hint of...something else. Something she couldn't identify. Something sad.

How could she stay fine when the one person she trusted to control her was not?

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"Tricia Beaumont, Fennley, 4."

Her hands froze, the knife stopping mid slice. She didn't dare to look up at the screen for fear what she would or wouldn't see.

Simultaneously, her little brother and little sister shouted at her. Miri yelled, "Tricia, you got Selected!"

Aaron called, "Can you finish with my dinner? I'm hungry."

Loud, angry footsteps came from the stairwell. Her mother appeared at the top, clutching a necklace she'd been presumably fixing down in the shop. "Did I just hear your name get called? Did you enter your name into the Selection? Without asking me or dad?"

"She did ask me," her father answered sadly. "And I gave her my permission."

Tricia stared at her parents, eyes glossy. _What just happened?_

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"Ana Ivelisse Alvarado, Dominica, 2."

Her house, formerly packed with noise and festivities from dinner, went silent. Slowly, everybody turned to face the TV. Face the picture of their sister, daughter, cousin, roommate that was displayed for all of Illea to see.

"You applied for the Selection?" Abby asked. It was one of the only times Ana hadn't heard the lilt of humor in her voice. It was unsettling.

"I wanted to help people. It-I didn't think I would actually get chosen," she defended. "Plus I want to travel and see the world. The Academy doesn't start until next fall, I have time. It's OK if I start late…."

But the look in her father's eyes silenced her.

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"Dahlia Eileen Ramirez, Honduragua, 4."

Lucas threw his bowl of pulled pork on the ground. "Lia, dat's you!" he cried. "You got picked! You getta go to the castle!"

Her face lit up as she stared at the screen. It was her picture, all right. Her ocean swept hair was let loose around her shoulders, her flawless cat eye accentuating her chocolate brown irises.

A thousand butterflies were released within her chest. She was going to the palace. She was going to meet the Prince. Gone were all her years of hiding away on the beach, throwing herself into the water whenever she could. Over a decade of laying low, keeping her cool, under the radar.

She wondered if her father was watching.

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"Luava Elisa Qappik, Yukon, 7."

"Ava!" screeched Cela, smothering Ava in an energetic dog pile. Her bony arms squeezed Ava's chest, chasing every bit of remaining breath from her lungs. "You're going to the castle, you're going to the castle!"

"I'm going to the castle," she repeated numbly. "I was…Selected?"

Helen's smile was bright as the summer sun. "That's incredible, Ava," she gushed. "You're so lucky!" She winked. "Hopefully you won't forget the little people with your newfound fame."

Blushing deeply, Ava stammered, "Oh...I'm sure I won't have any fame. I...I'll probably get sent home the second day."

But she couldn't help a wave of excitement from crashing over her, especially as she noticed Lena and Kylie's sultry glares.

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"Vela Elliot, Panama, 5."

Peter was the first to respond. "Um...y'all hear something? Cause I think that's the wrong person. I don't know her." They stared at him in blank confusion. He smirked for a few seconds, relishing in the moment. Finally, he said, "But I do know Queen Vela Elliot Schreave, formerly a 2, now a 1!"

"Long live!" cried Lyza, raising her glass.

Surges of fierce exhileration pounded at Vela's chest as she looked around at her friends. At how perfect her life had suddenly become. She would travel to Angeles, she would win the heart of the prince and the people. She would be the best queen, she could already feel it in her bones.

Those other girls wouldn't know what hit them.

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"Regina Edwards, Waverly, 5."

"That you?" Bunny called from the kitchen.

"Sure is," Gigi replied.

And for the first time in 5 years, she was smiling.

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 **And there you have it! The next chapters are going to include the girls starting to interact with each other and Eli, which I am personally psyched about! There's going to be some upheaval as well, so be prepared for anything.**


	13. Chapter 13: Ana and Tricia

They had been sitting on their beds for nearly half an hour, not speaking, just reading. Occasionally, the silence was broken by a particularly loud page flip or a subtle cough. But after that, it was back to the regular sound of tension so thick it was suffocating. Ana had to remind herself to breath for fear of fading into unconsciousness.

Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer. "Do you have something you want to say to me?" she asked Abby, who was on her bed across the room.

Abby just shrugged, not bothering to look up from her book.

Ana let a hiss and a spanish curse slip through her gritted teeth. In general, she and Abby had a good relationship. But something was happening. And Ana wasn't happy about it. "Why are you mad that I signed up for the Selection?" she asked sharply.

Again, Abby made no move to answer. She simply sniffed and turned a page in her book.

"This is unbelievable," Ana muttered. "I enter one little frivolous competition. Then suddenly my family disowns me, my best friend won't even speak to me, and the whole country of Illea falls to ruin." She rolled over bluntly, facing the wall, her anger seething out of her in waves.

"It's not just that you entered a frivolous competition," Abby said, making Ana start slightly. She didn't turn around in bed, just listened while her friend put together what she wanted to say.

"Then what's it all about?" Ana asked harshly. "Is it that I'm not good enough to be queen? Because I would be. I would be an amazing queen."

"It's the fact that you didn't tell anybody," explained Abby. "You didn't tell your mom. You didn't tell your cousins. You didn't tell me. You didn't tell your father, for goodness sakes. Don't you think he should have known? Don't you think he deserved to have some sort of warning before he watched you do what you did? He has been waiting for years for you to achieve your dream, and you effectively crushed it last night."

Ana felt her face go hot. "It's not like I'm never going to the Academy. I'll just ask them to put my application on hold, retake one of the tests, and then I'll be good to go. This Selection isn't going to ruin my life." Here, Abby tried to get a word in edgewise, but Ana wasn't done. "Furthermore, last time I checked, I didn't have to get permission from anyone about what _I_ did with _my_ life. I'm an adult. Nobody has to hold my hand anymore."

"Yeah, well we all care about you," Abby fired back. "And you put your life and soul into getting into ILEPA. We supported you for months. Years. We put our blood and sweat into helping you get there, and you just pushed it off like it meant nothing." Her voice broke.

Ana sat in a shocked silence. It only now occurred to her that perhaps she should have taken it up with her family and friends. It wasn't like she had expected to get Selected. She hadn't actively sought a way to throw off her long fought for opportunity.

Her heart broke as she heard Abby sniffle. "I would have supported you," she said, her voice small. "I would have cheered with you when you got Selected. You know I would have."

At this, Ana slid out of bed and crawled onto Abby's, wrapping her arms around her friend. "Of course you would have," she consoled. "I don't doubt that at all. That's not why I didn't tell you."

"Then why not?" Abby asked, adjusting her glasses and wiping her nose.

Ana paused. "I think it was because I thought that if I told somebody else, it would become real to me. I put my name in just for the sake of it. I never wanted to actually win."

"But you did," Abby said. "You said so at dinner. You said you wanted to help people out." She sighed. "It's fine. It's fine that you're going to do this. As long as you don't forget your dreams. Helping people is an admirable cause. It suits you."

It was a moment before Ana could speak. "Thanks you," she finally choked out.

They sat, the silence no longer tense. It melted around them, holding them closer to each other. A million thoughts ran through her head. _How could she have been so stupid?_ Ana knew that she wasn't a stupid person. Quite the opposite, in fact. And yet, here she was. _Stupid._

There was a knock on the door. Both girls started, and glanced towards the entrance.

"I'll get it," Ana said, slipping off the bed. She pulled on her socks and glided across the smooth wood floor to where the knock had sounded. She pulled the door open and stared at the man standing behind it.

"Hello, Ana," her father said.

Ana glanced back at Abby, who nodded, and gestured for her to go talk to her dad.

Stepping softly into the hallway, Ana closed the door behind her. She crossed her arms and looked at her dad. She wanted her face to be full of anger and defiance, but she couldn't muster it. Not with him.

"Why did you do it?" he asked quietly.

"Because I want to help others. Because I want to see the world. Because I want to do one last crazy thing before I commit to the Academy," she explained. She felt numb, like her body was not her own.

"But…" her father struggled to find the words. "But it's been your dream for years. You've trained for so long, and you're willing to wait even longer? Your mother is heartbroken, you know."

"Well maybe it's time people stop trying to feel for me. I know what I want, and I did what I thought would be best," Ana said angrily. "It's not like I'm giving up the Academy. I'll probably make it back in time to go. Stop acting like what you're mad about is for my benefit, because it's obviously not." With that, she stalked back into her classroom and closed the door, not even bothering to stay goodbye.

She was done trying to explain her actions to others. This was her choice, and she wasn't going to back down now. Her family and anybody else that had a problem could go and "Help me pack?" she asked Abby.

She nodded, and together, they started to prepare.

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Tricia finally placed the last of her things in the large leather trunk. She slammed it closed, then felt little eyes pouring into her back.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice filled with tired aggravation. She'd been up all night trying to fend off her vicious mother, pack her bags, and attend to whatever Miri and Aaron needed. As a result, she was thoroughly exhausted, barely even keeping her eyes wide enough to see.

She heard the pattering of bare feet, too light to be her mother, too heavy to be Aaron. Miri, then. Her angelic, sweet, perfect little sister. Dubbed 'too good for this earth' by her mother and anybody that met her. Though nobody said it, Tricia knew Miri was the favorite of her parents. How could she not be? She was the only one that looked normal.

The little girl twisted her hands, biting her lip in the way that made people go crazy. Her sparkling hazel eyes were as big and beautiful as a doe's. She parted her small pink lips, revealing a row of pearly teeth. Stupidly perfect.

"Are you leaving soon?" she asked. Even her voice was soaring and smooth.

Tricia sighed. "Tomorrow morning. Prince Elias apparently doesn't think we need to spend any more time at home than we have to." She stood, picked up her suitcase, and carried it across her room.

Miri followed her. "Are you excited to meet him?" she asked.

Ramming the suitcase out the door to its position in the hallway, Tricia replied, "Not particularly. I'm not exactly psyched to go to the castle in the first place."

"Then why did you sign up?" Miri questioned.

"I wanted to get out of the house," Tricia told her. "Get away from you and Aaron's nagging. Now can you please leave my room."

Miri nodded quickly. She turned and slipped through the door, and had almost closed it when she said, "Tricia?"

"What?" she responded, her voice beggin her little sister to just go away.

There was a pause. "I'll miss you," Miri said quietly.

Tricia's heart melted. She pulled the door open, and was shocked to see Miri's face covered in tears.

"Hey, come here," she said softly. She pulled her little sister into her arms and held her tightly. "I'll be back," she said. "Plus, you'll be able to come visit me at the castle if I make it to the Elite. And if I don't, I'll be back soon."

"Who's going to take care of me?" she asked through her tears.

Tricia considered this. "Well, dad can probably help you as much as he can. And you're getting to the age where you can do most things for yourself." She crouched down to look Miri in the eye. "The big problem is going to be Aaron," she admitted. "You're probably going to need to step up and help him a lot. You think you can do that?"

Her little sister nodded obediently. "I will," she promised. "I won't let anything happen to him."

"Good girl," Tricia praised, ruffling her sister's hair.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock from the door. "Tricia?" came her mother's voice, nasal and piercing. Tricia didn't know how she made any sales when her voice sounded like that.

"Come in," Tricia responded. She looked Miri and gestured for her to hide somewhere. Instantly, the little girl scurried and slid under the bed.

The door swung open, almost hitting Tricia in the face. Sarah Beaumont stormed in, for what was probably the 4th time in the last 24 hours. Her hair was tied up in a formal bun, and she was wearing her second nicest pantsuit. Tricia knew she was saving her nicest for tomorrow. Even though she didn't agree with Tricia's Selection, her mother would never pass up the opportunity to impress the neighbors.

"What do you want now?" Tricia asked.

"I don't have much time," she said bluntly. "There are going to be people ringing things up downstairs soon."

"But…." Tricia prompted.

Her mother scowled. "But I need to tell you that you are being selfish. You are focusing on your own desires instead of the needs of this family. I don't know why your father allowed you to register in the first place."

Tricia rolled her eyes. "But mom, if I didn't go to the palace, how would you ever get the attention you crave so badly?" she asked bitingly.

"Tricia Renae Beaumont!" Sarah screamed. "I have stayed holed up in this hellish shop for years so that I can provide for you and your siblings! Don't you dare turn this around on me. I'm not one bit excited that you feel like you can just dump your responsibility on others to go sleep with a Prince."

"Speaking of responsibility," Tricia said, "why don't we talk about all of yours! I, personally, would love to sit down all day and gossip. Especially if I could force my daughter to pick up all of my duties as a mother."

Sarah gasped. "You have been asked the bare minimum. Is it so unreasonable that I ask you to babysit your siblings every once and a while? Your father does the brunt of childcare, you know. That's not exactly fair to him."

"That is simply not true," Tricia argued. "I do everything. I love dad, but he never cares for Miri or Aaron. It's all left to me. Maybe you'd do that if you spent more time with your family and less time trying to get more popular." She was practically spitting now, letting everything out. "They're never going to accept us, you know. You should just give up."

For the first time in Tricia's entire life, her mother was speechless. She opened her mouth to say something, then clamped it shut. Without another word, she turned and stalked through the door she'd come from.

Miri crawled out from under the bed, and Tricia's heart sank. She'd forgotten that her little sister had been there, listening to every word.

"Why is mom so mean to you?" she asked, her voice frail and confused. Her curly red hair was covered in dust lint, and her eyes were red from crying.

"Not all of us are perfect, Miri," Tricia explained. "Now, if you want, I'll take you and Aaron to the park. Anything to get away from here."

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 **Hello friends! Wow, Tricia really hits home for me. I feel like a lot of times, oldest siblings that have been entrusted with so much responsibility are very caring towards their little siblings. And not to say that Tricia isn't, it's just very obvious that she resents her position, which is reflected onto her relationship with them. The feeling of the interaction between Tricia and Miri is a common one between me and my 9 year old sister. I get super annoyed with her, but then I also feel bad lol.**


	14. Chapter 14: Sofie and Sage

Sofie lay in her bed, cushioned by 3 large blankets, 4 pillows, and countless stuffed animals. She had not moved since waking up an hour ago. She was immobilized, staring at the ceiling, trying to control her beating heart. Trying to regulate her breathing. Trying to summon her father or Cole or somebody.

Originally, when she'd been Selected, she'd been excited. Thrilled, even. To be a 2 was a marvelous thing, but the chance to become a 1 was unbelievable. To think of the publicity, the glamorous life, the adoring prince. That night, she'd dreamed of becoming the Queen, of wearing the crown on her raven dark hair. She had stayed comfortably at her husband's side, becoming the most adored Queen since America Schreave.

However, when she woke up, the perfect dream had shattered. She'd come to the realization that in one day, she would be fighting for his hand. Leaving all she'd ever known. Leaving her father, her home, her Cole. To a strange land where she knew nobody.

The door clicked open. If Sofie could have moved her head, she would have seen Cole walk through the door. She didn't need her eyes, though. Cole was the only one allowed to enter her room without knocking. He knew what was necessary when it came to Sofie.

She could tell his footsteps by heart. They made their way towards her in her bed, steady and calming. Like him.

"Sit up."

She tried so hard. It took every ounce of her energy to tip her head. It moved a fraction of an inch, and for a moment, Sofie thought she had it. For a moment, she thought she would succeed.

But then she collapsed back into bed, panting heavily. This was one of the worst panic attacks she'd ever had. Generally, she found it tricky to move. This time, she was exhausted by the tiniest twitches.

She knew that Cole would be disappointed. He always was when she couldn't work through her anxiety. He would probably take her and pull her out of bed. It was unpleasant, but it worked. She braced herself for the moment of impact, squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her fists.

Instead, she felt a hand on her hair. Slowly, she opened her eyes. He was standing above her, touching her head gently. His eyes filled with sympathy as he knelt next to her bed. Their faces were so close, almost touching.

"You're OK," he said softly. "You're going to be just fine. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. If you want, you can stay in bed all day long. I'll cancel your appointments, I'll bring you whatever you want, I'll make sure nobody else comes in. Does that sound good?"

His calm words flowed through her body and enveloped her heart. It began to beat more slowly, her breathing regulated. Inch by inch, she began to feel herself relax. It was a pleasant sensation, like immersing herself in a hot tub. Cole stayed at her side, his hand still running through her hair.

Finally, she sat up. The world came back into focus. All was quiet. All was good.

"Sofie, you did it," Cole exclaimed.

Then he did something surprising.

He reached up and wrapped his arms around Sofie's midsection, holding her tightly. It took a moment for her to register what was happening. She didn't get hugged very often. Her father was on business a lot, but she'd never been close with him to begin with. Other than that, there were fans, there were a couple other models she'd met and gotten close with. But their attention felt fake.

This made her feel safe.

A sudden worry crossed her mind. "What am I going to do without, you Cole?" she asked. Cole stepped back and looked her in the eye. "What if I have an attack? Who's going to help me? What will I do?"

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.

Sofie didn't even have to think. "Of course," she replied.

He picked up the phone sitting on the table next to her bed. For a moment, he paused, glanced at Sofie, then punched in a set of numbers. The two of them sat anxiously while the phone began to ring.

"This is Sara Blaine, royal planner of Illea, personal assistant to Queen Georgianna. How may I help you?" came the chipper voice from the other side. Sofie's ears perked in recognition. The energetic young planner had called her the night before to debrief her on logistics.

Cole smiled, a rare expression on his face. "It's Co-ole," he said teasingly.

There was hesitation on the other end. "What do you want?" Sara deadpanned. Her voice had lost all of its perk, but was now filled with a sort of underlying affection.

"Sofie got Selected," he said.

Sara gasped. "She's _your_ Sofie? I had no idea!"

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "Anyway, how would you like to do a favor for your favorite little brother?"

Something that had been hovering over Sofie's heart dispersed as soon as she hear the word 'brother'. This must be Cole's older sister. He'd spoken of her from time to time.

"Let me guess," Sara said. "You want to come with her?"

"Is there any way I can?" he asked. There was a hint of desperation in his voice. It crossed Sofie's mind that he must be serious about his paycheck.

A long sigh came from Sara's side of the phone. "You just love making more work for me, don't you Cole?" she complained. "Yeah, there's a way that you can come with her to the palace. But you're going to need to sign a bunch of forms, get endorsed by me, and pledge to the Prince about something or another, I don't know. I'll email you a form that will get you on the plane with her. See you."

"Bye," Cole said cheekily. He set the phone down back on the receiver. Then he turned to face Sofie.

"Told you I could do it," he said smugly.

And despite her best efforts, Sofie couldn't seem to stop smiling.

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The phone rang suddenly, shocking Sage from her position on the couch. She reached over and grabbed it, yanking it to her ear, knocking the receiver off the coffee table.

"H-hello?" she asked, her fingers trembling.

"Hello," said an energetic voice from the other end. "I'm Sara Blaine, royal planner of Illea, and personal assistant to Queen Georgianna. I understand that you've been Selected?"

"Yes," Sage replied quickly. "I'm Sage Marson."

"Oh, right! You're an S name like me," Sara giggled. "I'm so excited to meet all of you when you arrive at the castle. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I'll be acting as your personal teacher and guide during your stay. Hopefully my etiquette and history lessons aren't too boring."

Sage made the decision that she liked Sara. She talked fast, and was way too perky about what she was saying, but there was an undeniable air of charisma. Knowing that there was somebody watching out for her at the castle soothed her nerves just a little bit.

"I'll just go over a little bit of protocol before I get into logistics," she informed. "First of all, there are a few rules. Number one, you are not allowed to refuse the prince anything. If he asks for it, you're doing it. Don't worry, though, Eli's a super nice and friendly guy. You won't be doing anything uncomfortable against your will.

"Number two, you are allowed to bring one suitcase full of clothes. I wouldn't recommend bringing clothes or anything, as those will be provided, but close personal belongings, heirlooms, customized toiletries, anything that you need that we can't provide instantly at the castle.

"Number three, follow the Illean Royalty Guide for Publicity. This includes a wide variety of rules. Some of these include: dress modestly, don't swear, keep your expression pleasant, etc. You'll receive a copy of the ILGP upon your arrival. It's nothing very restrictive, don't you worry."

Finally, she took a breath, allowing Sage to get a word in edgewise. "How am I supposed to get to Angeles?" she asked.

She could practically see Sara's face brighten over the phone. "I guess you can read minds!" she said. "I was just about to get to that. You'll be escorted from your house in a official palace vehicle, taken to the Sonage airport, and flown to Angeles."

Everything stopped.

A car?

To the airport?

Visions danced in Sage's head, dragging her to the worst week of her life.

 _The car rumbled steadily, headed down the empty expanse of highway. Sage sat with her legs propped up on the dashboard, eating up the romance novel in her hands. Her mother was focused on the road, though Sage couldn't help but notice that her eyelids drooped dangerously. They'd been driving throughout the night, and her three little siblings were sitting fast asleep in the backseat._

" _Do you want me to drive, mom?" she asked._

 _Her mother shook her head vigorously. "No," she said. Then, as she caught herself dozing off again, amended, "Maybe. Just drive until the nearest coffee shop, and then I'll be good. I ran out of my cappuccino energy half an hour ago and I'm not fine."_

 _They pulled over, and Sage hopped out of her seat. At the spritely age of 17, she was just barely old enough to drive. However, she felt quite comfortable as she stepped on the gas, bringing their little old car to a consistent speed._

 _It was ages before they reached the next exit. The sign boasted such elegant attractions such as "Stevie's Chandelier Shop" and "Oat Barn". There was one, however, called "The Split Bean". That sounded enough like a cafe that Sage pulled into the exit and began making the turn._

 _As she reached the merge, the blare of a horn startled her. She barely had time to look back before she saw the immense supply truck tumbling straight for her, with no signs of stopping._

 _There was a screeching crash, then all was silent._

 _Silence._

 _Silence._

 _Then her father's voice, coaxing her out of her cocoon of quiet. It was soothing and welcoming, almost inviting. She opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of him._

" _What happened?" she asked groggily. "Where's mom and the kids?"_

 _Her father said nothing, instead bursting into dry sobs. Sage had never seen him cry before. He was resilient, strong, and tough. So as a single tear streamed down his face, Sage knew that everything was wrong._

 _Everything was wrong and it was her fault._

She snapped back to reality just in time to hear Sara ask, "You still there, sweetie?"

"Yes, sorry," Sage replied hastily. "Um, about the modes of transportation. Is there any way other than driving that would suffice? I, uh….have a difficult relationship with them."

Sara paused. "Sorry, honey, I don't know if there is. If we think of an alternate way, we'll contact you immediately and let you know."

"I only live 2 miles away from the Sonage airport," Sage pleaded desperately. "I can walk. It's fine. I'll do anything else you guys ask, just please let me do this myself. Walking is fine."

Chuckling uncomfortably, Sara replied, "Whatever floats your boat, I guess. I'll make note of that to your escort. Goodbye."

Sage hung up the phone, sighing in relief. She knew she couldn't avoid her past forever, but she could avoid it for now.

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 **Man, Cole is just too sweet. BTW, I'm probably going to be focusing on the girls until they arrive in their rooms, so be prepared to say goodbye to Eli (at least for the three chapters after this). But I really want to emphasize each girl and her experience, plus this will get us to the actual Selection sooner :)**

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 **OH also, I'm probably going to change the name of my story, so if the next time you see it, it's under the name 'Under the Surface', don't be alarmed lol.**


	15. Chapter 15: Viv and Gigi

Gigi sat contentedly in the back of the limousine. Her hair looked nice for the first time in months, the peculiar white color given a unique shine. She'd washed it thoroughly, dried it, brushed it, put hair products in it, styled it, and set it tight with a copious amount of hair spray.

Bunny had been the genius behind her makeup look. Gigi's brows were darkened and shaped, as well as her eyelashes. She'd applied a tint of rouge to her cheeks, along with dramatic contouring. A heavy amount of foundation had evened out her skin tone. Obviously, Gigi had touched it up a little. The look was similar to what Bunny wore to _work_ , and that was certainly not the message Gigi was trying to convey.

She thought she looked half decent.

From her pockets, she produced a pack of cigarettes. "One last time, my friends," she said sadly. "It's going to be a while." She took one out, lit it, and stuck it in her mouth. "You don't mind if I smoke, do you?" she asked the cab driver.

"Nope," he replied, lighting one of his own.

Gigi chuckled softly, then reached to unroll the window. She exhaled, producing a puff of billowing smoke. For a fraction of a second, it was exposed, elegant, beautiful. And then it was gone, whisked away to the mercy of the winds.

"You're not going to want to do that in front of the people come to see you off," the cab driver said. "They'll eat you alive. If there's one thing I know about these Selections, its that you want to be the favorite of the people. They're a force you won't want against you."

"Wise advice," Gigi said coyly. "Have you driven for a Selection before?"

At this, he straightened proudly. "Yes, in fact," he said, smacking his lips. "23 years ago, I was living over in Sonage. They asked me to drive a sweet young lass named Georgianna McAllister. Perhaps you've heard of her?"

"The queen?" clarified Gigi. "That's pretty prestigious."

"And before that," he continued, "I drove Ms. Dana Delitsky. You probably haven't seen the tapes, but she made it to the Elite. 3rd place, I'd say. And my older sister drove Royal Consort Eikko Schreave and Sir Henri 20 years before that. We come from a long line of winners and runner ups." He winked. "So you better not disappoint."

Laughing mirthlessly, Gigi replied, "Seems like disappointment runs my life lately."

"I feel you, sister," the driver said, slapping his knee. "You know, I like you. Not like those other prissy princesses coming by just to get a taste of glamor. You're real. I'm rooting for ya." He pulled the limo to a stop. "Let's just hope they are, too."

Gigi looked out the window to see masses of people, all vying for a look at the newest Waverly Selectee. There were dozens of signs. Most were pretty generic. "I love you, Regina". "Waverly Supports". "Crown for Waverly". Some were beautifully decorated, with intricate slogans like "Pave the Way for Waverly". Everybody seemed to be hopping with anticipation.

Crushing the cigarette in her gloved hand, Gigi deposited it discreetly into her new designer handbag. She and Bunny had pooled all their money and splurged, now that Gigi was going to be sending home the big bucks. It was safe to say that she didn't quite know how to act around such nice things.

She placed one leg outside of the car, just as she'd seen happen in movies. Instantaneously, the crowd began to roar. They were screaming, calling her name. It was strange. So far, Regina was a completely different person than Gigi was.

Striding elegantly down the path roped off from the people, Gigi made her way towards the little jet waiting for her. It was shiny, high tech, and simply calling her name. She could almost taste the high class martinis she'd heard rumors about.

A surprising amount of people were waving her picture at her, begging for an autograph.

"Hey," came a rough, angry sounding voice. "Do you think you just get to leave, you-"

The rest of his words were cut off by the roars of the crowd, but Gigi knew far too well who it was. She could see him, being shoved around violently by the others surrounding him. But slowly and surely, he was making his way towards her.

Gripping her handbag tightly, Gigi tried to move faster, while still maintaining an aura of sophistication. Why here, why here of all places? Didn't she deserve to make it to Angeles alive? Didn't she deserve to escape?

Several people started noticing him. He shouted awful slurs, hurtful words that Gigi pretended not to hear. She kept her chin raised, her eyes firmly ahead of her. Each step was purposeful, each step brought her closer and closer to her certain safety.

Halfway down the aisle, she felt hands close around her mouth. There were screams of outrage from the throngs of people, and yet nobody moved to help her. Security was at the other end of the aisle, reacting too slowly. By the time they reached her she would be dead.

So she acted according to her gut instinct. Using force she didn't know she had, she lifted her foot and placed a solid jab aimed at his crotch. It didn't strike home, but it did hit his upper thigh. When he backed away in pain, Gigi turned and swung her 10 pound bag at his head. Repeatedly.

When this didn't render him completely helpless, she reached into her bag, pulled out her still hot and smoking cigarette and stuck it into his face, smearing it all over his forehead, eyes, and mouth. His cries of pain were enough to satisfy her.

A newfound sense of power growing inside her, Gigi strode the rest of the way to the airplane. No more signatures were handed out, all of her focus dedicated to reaching her destination. She didn't even turn to see security arrest him.

Perhaps if she had, she would have seen him duck out of their arms and escape into the crowd.

But she didn't, instead choosing to look to the future. Her past was just that, the past. And she didn't have time for that the next few days. The next few weeks. Months. Years.

The rest of her life, if she could help it.

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Cheryl and Viv clambered into the back of the limousine. It was twice as big as any car Viv had ever been in in her life. The Jones's car was very compact and sleek. This could only be described as luxurious.

"I haven't seen Levi all morning," Viv mentioned casually. "He is coming with us, right?" If yes, then he needed to hurry up. Viv was ready to be on her way after that sleepless night of anxiety and

Snapping her fingers, Cheryl said, "Oh, that's right. I forgot to tell you. He has a really important meeting and won't be able to see you off." Her eyes softened. "I'm sorry, honey."

"No, that's fine," Viv said quickly. "That's fine."

"He might make it at the last minute," Cheryl said in a desperate attempt to comfort her. "He said he'll try to duck out early to see you. But….it is unlikely. I'm sorry."

Shaking her head, Viv replied, "No, I swear, it's fine. There'll be hundreds of people there to see me off. I'm sure I'll be so distracted I won't even notice he's not there." This was false, of course, but Viv had to convince herself as well as Cheryl.

"Well, nobody can replace the person you love," the woman said softly.

For a moment, Viv thought her heart had stopped. She couldn't move, everything frozen. She felt her cheeks go warm, her vision go hazy. Had she actually hear that correctly? That couldn't have been what Cheryl had meant by it. She must have meant _a_ person that you love. There was no way she could possibly know about….

"I read your journal years ago," she admitted. "Back when you were 15. I was worried about something that you'd said about the Orphanage, and was checking to make sure everything was alright. But instead I found out about-"

"OK," Viv interrupted. "That's fine. I don't care if you know. Yeah, I am kind of in love with him, but it doesn't matter now. Nothing's going to happen between us. I'm about to stay at the palace, and he'll probably find some starlet to get engaged to."

Cheryl clucked her tongue as the limo pulled out of their driveway. "Now, I don't believe that's true for one minute. I'm his mother, I would know," she reminded Viv. "I think that eventually, he'll come to his senses and realize that you've always been the one. Simple as that."

Those words triggered something very familiar to Viv. She felt herself falling so deep into her Pit, she didn't know if she'd be able to crawl back out.

If his mother thought that he would end up with her, that was a good indicator, right? That mean that he'd shown signs. What kind of signs? Did he talk about her when she wasn't there? Maybe he traced her name on his notebooks, like she did on hers. It was a tricky business, being in love.

It was nice to hear that Cheryl thought he loved her. But that didn't change the fact that she wasn't going to see him before departing. What would she give for one word, one conversation, one fleeting glance?

She didn't have time to consider, though, because the limo pulled up to the airport. Well, to the airplane, really. There was a bright red carpet leading right up the steps she would mount. The plane was compact and sleek, emitting an aura of power and wealth.

Throngs of people were waiting at the gate, cheering for her, calling her name. It was strange to see her full name written on the signs. The people of Ottaro didn't know her as Viv. They knew Viviana Nia Ebony, the kindergarten teacher from the capital. It was lucky that she lived so close to the airport, that the drive was so short.

A nosy reporter got right up in her face. "Lady Viviana," she said, her voice nasal and piercing. "All of Ottaro is so grateful that you're headed to the castle in order to win us some province pride. All of us here are rooting for you." She gestured to the crowd, and Viv could see signs, pictures of her, all of these things floating around the airport like clouds.

For a second, she didn't realize she was supposed to respond. But when the reporter shoved the microphone to her mouth, she stumbled, "Oh, thank you. I'm so lucky to have such a supportive province." Not like they'd supported her when she was alone in the Orphanage. But whatever would get her more favor.

She could tell the reporter wanted to ask another question, but something caught in her peripheral vision. A smooth and impish face, a familiar mop of unruly blonde hair. Viv turned and caught a glimpse of Levi, stepping out of a car.

"If you'll excuse me for a moment," she said quickly, "my….er, my brother just arrived to send me off." Levi caught her eye and waved enthusiastically, starting down the aisle towards her.

"Your brother?" the reporter laughed incredulously. "That blondie? But look at your beautiful red hair." The reporter squinted her eyes. "Say, that looks a lot like Levi Jones. Couldn't be, though. All of Illea knows his family front and back. Sure looks like him, though."

Viv laughed fakely. "Yeah, he gets that a lot," she said, anxious to get away. "Nice to talk to you."

She rushed to meet Levi, and he caught her off guard with the biggest hug he'd ever given her. Maybe anybody. It was safe, it was warm. It was about to be left behind.

Tears pooled in Viv's eyes. To think of leaving Levi was unbearable.

"Are you crying?" he asked, pulling her back and gripping her shoulders. His face was slightly flushed, as if he'd been just as anxious as she'd been. As usual, his large glasses were tilted slightly on his face.

Viv sniffed. "I don't want to go away. I'll miss you. And Cheryl. And the house. And Champ," she said, talking about the Jones's plump white chihuahua. All of these things were a part of her. They would be treasured memories as she tried to navigate her way around the castle and the Selection.

"Well…." Levi said, "How about I give you something to remember us by?" He took her by the shoulders, and wiped a strand of her fox red hair out of her face. Then he leaned down and placed a single kiss on her forehead.

No Pit was deep enough for the euphoria that surrounded Viv as she mounted the plane steps.

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 **This chapter gave me some grief, I'll be honest. Gigi's was really fun to write, but I just couldn't figure out what to do with Viv. I knew I wanted Levi coming in at the last minute, but I was kind of struggling until then, so if it's boring, I'm sorry. Next chapter is about everyone's favorite backup dancer, Vela, as well as Lia! They'll be interacting with some of the other Selected. Should be really exciting! Again, thanks so much for everybody who gives me their continued support. This stuff is not easy. Feel free to leave a review, PM me, or just enjoy. Thanks!**


	16. Chapter 16: Lia and Vela

Vela had never really cared for flights. When Lyza's tour had gone big, she'd had to fly almost every other day. Eventually, she'd gotten pretty much used to it. She still relished the feeling of getting off, though. As she disembarked in Angeles, she had almost sang in relief, attracting the stares of several people around her.

Now she was in the walls of the palace, staring in awe at everything happening around her. There were 4 other girls in her group. She had memorized all their names upon introduction. There was Justice from Atlin, Martha from Likely, Taryn from Carolina, Ana from Dominica, and Mari from Tammins. Taryn and Ana seemed nice enough. The others were relatively closed off.

Sara, the lady who had greeted them upon their arrival, was ushering them quickly down a series of hallways. She seemed to be only 5 or 10 years older than them, with a bright and perky personality.

They finally entered a large room, filled with chairs, vanities, supply carts, beauty tools, chopped hair, and blinding white light. 10 people in red aprons rushed around, hurriedly sweeping up odds and ends that had ended up on the ground.

A low, long whistle echoed around the room. Vela looked over to see Ana looking around in utter amazement. "This place is incredible," she breathed. "Look at everything."

They were ushered to take seats, while 2 red aproned women each began to work on them. Vela found herself spinning around on the tall, cushioned chairs that turned like butter. She giggled, her big, curly hair swirling in the wind she created.

"Having fun?" Ana asked, taking the seat next to her.

"I don't get out much," Vela responded, finally calming her chair as the women went to work, powdering and moisterizing her face like their lives depended on it. Vela was used to this, obviously, after performing in over 50 concerts.

"Where are you from again?" Ana asked, as she too was pampered by her helpers.

"Technically, I'm from Panama," Vela answered. "My mom, dad, and little sister live there, it's where I was born and raised. However, I'm a backup dancer for Lyza Rambley, and I've been all over the country the past two months. I was flown here from northern Baffin, actually."

Snorting, Ana said, "I didn't know anybody actually lived in Baffin. I thought it was just polar bears and snowmen."

Vela laughed. "Its northernmost city, Courton, is actually home to one of the biggest theaters in Illea. So we wanted to hit that before we went home."

"Was that your last place?" inquired Ana.

"Yeah," Vela said, downcast. "But I just signed a contract with Lyza to be a part of her dance crew for the next 5 years. So if this whole Queen thing doesn't work out, I'll be falling back onto a cushion made out of money and fame."

A wistful look appeared on Ana's face. "Me too," she replied. "Well, maybe not the money and fame part. But I was accepted into ILEPA for next fall. So if the Prince finds out that I'm a creeper that makes sweaters for my cats before August, I'll be just fine."

"ILEPA," repeated Vela. "That's the cop school, right?"

"Yep," Ana confirmed. "My dad went there, both his parents went there, and my little cousin is hoping to go there when she graduates High School in 2 years. Policing kind of runs in our family."

Vela couldn't help but notice how toned Ana's arms were. She could tell that she was physically strong. There was something else about her, too. Something Vela couldn't see, necessarily. But she could definitely tell that Ana had a very defined personality. Rather like her own.

"So," questioned Ana slyly. "You leave any dashing young men behind pining for you?"

"Not really. I had two really serious relationships, but none of them lasted longer than a couple years," she admitted.

"A couple years?" clarified Ana in astonishment. "That's practically marriage!"

Sighing, Vela replied. "Not for me. And not for Cassian, either, apparently. Unless marriage means publicly humiliating your spouse by breaking up with her on your anniversary because you've fallen in love with some barfly you met two weeks ago." She shook her head bitterly, wishing the negative memories to get out of her head.

"Eesh. Sorry, girlfriend," said Ana with a grimace. She reached up and brushed a strand of her dark hair away from her olive toned skin. She continued, "I had quite a few relationships in High School. Never anything really serious, just a few months or something like that."

Vela was about to respond, when she overheard a snippet of conversation between the women working on her hair and makeup.

"We need to straighten her hair," one said.

"And get a lighter colored foundation," the other replied.

"Do we have any blonde wigs?"

"What is going on?" Vela asked sharply, turning in her chair to face the two women. Both were pasty skinned and sickly blonde. Like they'd never seen a day of sun in their entire lives.

One woman said, "Well, honey, we think the Prince might like you more if you lightened up your whole….self. He's been surrounded by brown skinned people his whole life, you know. His mother was from southern Sonage. It might bring him a little pleasant surprise to see somebody so different from himself and his family."

"You mean you want to make me look white?" Vela hissed. "I don't think so. Keep your dark foundation and don't lay a finger on my hair unless you want to spend 11 hours braiding it. Understand?"

The women were so shocked, they nodded quickly, and went back to work. Ana clapped softly, her face shining with approval and pride.

"That was good," she whispered. "I like you."

"I like you, too," Vela replied as she settled into her seat and closed her eyes.

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Dry.

That was how Lia felt as she trudged through the walls of the castle, bristling in the dusty Angeles winter. She'd heard of snow, though never seen it. Apparently, it came in the Winter. Yet, the sickeningly blue sky outside was unyielding.

Lia had never lived far from the sea. She'd started out in Angeles, right next to the sea. Then she'd moved down to Honduragua, a 5 minute walk from the beach. All her life, she'd had the beautiful expanse of the pacific ocean practically in the palm of her hand.

Now she felt alone, despondent, empty.

Dry.

She hurried to the front, where Sara Blaine was walking briskly. Lia couldn't decide if she liked the royal planner or not. On the one hand, she was friendly and easy to talk to. On the other hand, her constant chatter was starting to get on Lia's nerves.

"And this is the door that leads to the hall where most of you will be staying. There are a few over on the west wing, but the majority will be housed here. Get familiar!" she trilled, gesturing to a large door with the inscription, 'East Wing.' Sara continued, "Most of our more...shall we say, particular guests stay in the Royal Wing. Such guests might include royal families, mercenaries, servants, ambassadors, anybody we don't want thinking poorly of us."

"So you're saying you don't care what we think of this place?" asked somebody in the back. Lia turned around and saw a girl with pale skin and dark red hair, almost brown. Her expression was rather sour, as if she didn't really want to be there.

It took a moment for Sara to respond. "Of course we care about what you think. It's just that we know you won't throw a fit like some other dignitaries we know." It was obvious she was trying to win us over, maybe a little too hard. But Lia decided in that moment that she was a good person. It couldn't have been easy to wrangle all 35 girls that had been selected.

"I wouldn't put it past some of the girls to hissy fit about it," mumbled Tricia, throwing a glance at a couple of 2s standing and chatting in the corner. Isle and Sadie-Rose, Lia remembered. So far, they had been nothing but prissy, making snarky comments about everybody and everything.

But Lia couldn't focus on that drama right now. She was thirsty.

"Excuse me," she said to Sara. The dark haired woman turned to face her, a pleasant expression plastered on her face. Lia asked, "Is there anywhere I can get a drink of water?"

"Of course, of course, honey," Sara replied with a laugh. "What, did you think we were going to kill you here? In the makeup room, I'll fetch you something nice and cool. It can be hot in Angeles. Where are you from? Yukon? Whites? Baffin?"

"Actually, I'm from Honduragua," Lia deadpanned.

Instead of answering, Sara gave her a confused smile, then turned and started walking again. "This is the room where you will say goodbye to your old selves, and say hello to your selection selves!"

Lia walked hesitantly into the room, her eyes dancing over thing after thing. It was a lot to take in, much more modern than her little hut on the sea. So much demanded her attention, so much begged her to take a look.

However, she was quickly ushered over to a vanity, where the red aproned men began to work on her vigorously.

"Excuse me," she said. "Can I please have a glass of water?"

"Of course, honey," the plump, pleasant faced woman responded. "Antonio, sugar, can you get the nice young lady a cup of water?"

The other worker scurried away, and Lia settled back, watching the woman go to work.

"You excited for this Selection, hon?" she asked, beginning to snip away at the dead ends of Lia's hair.

She considered this for a moment. "I suppose so," she said. "I was mostly coming to do something with my life. I've done the same things for 18 years. But the prospect of meeting Prince Elias and living here at the palace has been growing on me."

"That Prince Eli is a gem," the woman gushed.

At that moment, Antonio returned with the water. He handed the glass to Lia with an embellished gesture. "For you, your most esteemed highness."

Lia chuckled. "Not quite yet," she reminded. "But thank you for the compliment."

As the water touched her lips, Lia felt immediately refreshed. Her eyes began to sparkle, and her breaths became easier. The sunny sky breached the inside of the castle, and Lia drank it in as thirstily as she drank in the water. The entire glass was downed in 10 seconds.

"Thirsty?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Lia said gratefully. "I haven't had a drink in hours. In fact, I don't think I've had a drink since I left my house. I live very near to the ocean, you see. Water's pretty important to me."

"That's great, sweetie," the woman said sincerely. She straightened up, but as she did so, she made a stray move with her scissors. Lia felt her head suddenly become much lighter. Her stomach dropped.

The woman didn't speak, instead staring at the ground in shocked and appalled silence. Trembling, Lia looked down and saw a chunk of her beautiful hair lying on the floor.

"I'm...I'm so sorry, Lady Dahlia," the woman said. "The only way that I can make this look presentable is to cut the rest of your hair as short.

"That's fine," Lia said, in a voice that wasn't quite her own. It was strangled, disconnected from her body. She felt odd. Her hair hadn't been cut in over 10 years, just trimmed for split ends. It had been her pride and joy, reaching far past her waist.

She faintly heard the woman tell her that she was going to give her highlights, that it would look fine, that it would look even better than before. But Lia couldn't stop staring at the hair on the floor, and her broken reflection in the mirror.

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 **Wow, I kind of feel like I'm slacking off on my chapter updates. I've been entering a lot of OCs into other stories, so it took me a while to finish this. I am absolutely LOVING the friendship between Ana and Vela, though. They really suit each other, and I think they'll be great friends as the Selection continues.**


	17. Chapter 17: Reina and Ava

Goosebumps crawled up and down Reina's skin anytime she passed by a castle dignitary. It had been bad enough living in the city dealing with rude 3s. Now she was at the very base of the problem, and they were all looking at her like she was a piece of trash. Typical.

There had been a two in her group, a condescending twat named Sofie or something. She had sucked up to Sara like nobody's business, and sent a few uncomfortable glances in Reina's direction.

There had been a couple of 3s, who were also bratty and rude. But then there had been a 5. Reina could definitely stomach 5s. This girl had been a sort of kindred spirit, if she was using romantical language. Her name had been Regina Edwards, or Gigi. She was broken, hopeless, and desperate. Very similar to Reina.

Now they were sent to roam around the palace. Well, they weren't really. Reina had snuck out of her room after meeting her maids and was now trying to figure out her surroundings. So far, every hallway looked the same, and she was hopelessly lost.

She heard the clomping of footsteps coming towards her from farther down the hallway. Panic springing in her chest, she pulled open the nearest door. Instead of another hallway, though, she found a damp, musty, abandoned chamberpot. The key, rusty and dirty, lay on the ground. The entire area reeked of age and mildew, as well as waste. It was all Reina could do to stay hidden and silent.

But then, another idea struck her. This 2 was probably just as rude and pretentious as the rest of him. He could definitely use a humbling.

So Reina slipped out of the chamber pot room, still clutching the key in her hand. The official had not yet turned the corner, so she brushed herself off, trying to look decent.

Finally, the man appeared in front of her. He was old, fat, and frankly, quite ugly. Surprisingly, Reina recognized him. He'd come to her city in Angeles just last week to deliver the news that Queen Ines and Princess Colette had died. His name was Mike Vanceton, one of the senior advisors to the King. A nasty, obnoxious person at best.

Reina dashed up to him, pretending to be relieved and out of breath. "Thank goodness I found you, Sir Vanceton," she gushed. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"A maid," the man muttered to himself. "How disgusting. What do you want, child? I'm very busy. Prince Eli has summoned me to his chambers."

"Why, that's just what I wanted to talk to you about, sir," Reina continued. "He told me to find you as soon as possible and tell you to check on an urgent matter in the strategy room! I kept an eye out here because I knew you'd be passing by, and it turns out this is a shortcut. Maid's secret." She winked at him, employing all her charm she could muster.

"Well, if you say so," Sir Vanceton said huffily. He pulled open the door, keeping his eyes on Reina the whole time. Thus, he did not see or smell the chamber pot until it was too late.

Reina slammed the door behind him, produced the key, and clicked it into the keyhole. There came a shout of muffled horror from the other side, as well as a round of desperate pounding.

"Open this door at once," he shouted.

"Please don't," came a quiet voice from behind Reina. She turned and caught a glimpse of the last person she'd wanted to see. His eyes twinkled, and his mouth was turned up in a slight smile. "I was dreading that meeting anyway. You've done me a favor."

Prince Elias took Reina by the elbow and led her away silently. The pounding on the door became quieter and quieter as they turned corner after corner, making their way through the twisting maze of the palace.

Finally, Eli stopped them. "I'm going to assume you know who I am," he said sheepishly. "But who are you?"

She yanked her arm out of reach from his hand. "That's none of your business," she said sharply. But as his face seemed to fall a little, she conceded, "Reina Isavich Yeres."

His eyes widened. "You're one of the Selected," he gasped. "I know you. You're from here in Angeles, right?"

Despite all of her inhibitions, Reina was slightly flattered. From the few words they'd spoken, Prince Elias seemed to be alright. "Yes," she replied. "I'm actually from Kurton."

"Oh, so you're nearby," Prince Elias mused. He looked at her. "What are you doing out of your room?" he asked suddenly, as if it had just occurred to him.

Immediately Reina covered smoothly, "Well, the maids hadn't quite finished with the preparation yet, and they told me I should get out and explore a little. You know, just acquaint myself with my new surroundings."

"That makes sense," Prince Elias said. "But I should probably take you back now. Not because of anything you're doing wrong. It's just that Sir Vanceton will have your head if he gets out of there."

So the two of them began to walk back towards Reina's room. In that moment, Reina decided that she would give Prince Elias a try. Obviously, she wouldn't give him her full trust. That could never happen. But it would be nice to have an ally.

"I'll see you again tomorrow, I guess," he said as they arrived at her room. "And for future reference, try to keep your head low when it comes to high ranking officials that could help to make or break your success here. My family is pretty chill, but others...not so much." He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. "Until tomorrow, Lady Reina."

Then he was gone, disappearing around the corner at the far side of the hallway.

As Reina walked slowly into her room, she considered the meeting. It had certainly helped to make a major dent in the worldview she'd spent years building up. Was it possible that not all higher castes were crooked?

She didn't know for sure, and frankly, she was too tuckered out to go another second without collapsing into her bed.

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To say that the change from Yukon to Angeles had been a big one was an understatement. Ava didn't know if she'd ever felt more like a stranger any time in her life. The blazing sun in the middle of winter, the luxurious palace that loomed higher than any building she'd ever seen, the throngs of people looking down at the 7 that drifted around her like a bad smell. In her little town, there'd never been any prejudice. If you were a 3, good for you. You lived next door to the family of 6s. You grew up together. You ate together. Caste was just a number.

Here, she'd been growled at, sneered at. One of the 2s in her group, Hazel from Sota, had sliced her arm with her extra long fingernails. Ava had been able to mostly conceal the wound, but her nice white blouse was stained with red.

She had arrived in her rooms after spending the afternoon getting made over. In her group of 5, there had been one 2, one 3, two 4s, and herself. The only girl she'd talked to was the 3, a red headed girl that called herself Viv. Viv had come from Ottaro, so they'd discussed the colder weather as well as the immense change. But, unfortunately, they'd been separated. Now she was alone, trying to find her room.

Suddenly, a fat old man walked by. He looked down at her with an unpleasant look on his face. "Who are you?" he asked. For some reason he smelled vaguely of chamber pot. "Name, Province, and Caste."

"Luava Qappik, Yukon," she started. But then she hesitated. How would he react when he found out how low she was compared to him? "I'm a seven."

Without another word, the man walked away from her, his rather generous stomach wobbling sickeningly. As he turned the corner, he called back, "Good luck getting the Prince to give you the time of day, you worthless rat."

That did it. Collapsing against the wall, Ava let out all of the anxiety, stress, and homesickness that had been building up in her all day. She sank into a seated position and drew her knees up to her face. Her head hurt, her heart hurt, her pride hurt, and she wanted to go home. She sat against the wall for what felt like hours, until all of her tears were cried out.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her, and she immediately jumped to her feet. In a desperate attempt to clean off her face, she swiped at the mascara that had inevitably smudged under her eyes.

When the person rounded the corner, Ava let out a soft gasp. It was none other than Prince Elias and his sister, Princess Brooklyn. They glanced at each other, then hurried to her side.

"Are you alright, honey?" asked Princess Brooklyn.

"Y-yes, thank you," Ava replied. "Sorry, I just got a little lost. Sorry."

"No, no, you don't have to apologize. Where are you trying to get?" Princess Brooklyn asked. "Wait. I bet I can guess. You're here for this guy, aren't you? Are you a Selected?"

"Yes," Ava replied gratefully.

Prince Elias muttered, "Another one?" But then he shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Are you alright? You look a little shaken. What's your name?"

Hiccuping gently, Ava answered, "My name is Luava Qappik. I'm from Yukon." She sniffed, wiping an arm across her nose. "I'm fine. I'm just a little homesick, I guess."

"Oh, we understand," Princess Brooklyn said kindly. "Eli, do you remember that one time when we were on our first diplomatic mission alone? It was like 5 years ago, and we were sent off to Greece or something." She turned to Ava. "He was so homesick, he puked in the middle of our dinner party with th-"

"OK, OK, thank you very much for that lovely, gripping, exciting, tale," Prince Elias replied. "Look, Brooklyn, my darling sister, my favorite person in existence, would you please escort this exceptionally beautiful young lady back to her room? I have to get to a meeting with dad."

"Whatever you say," Brooklyn said. "I am your humble servant."

Prince Elias smiled, and turned to face Ava. "As for you," he said, his tone more subdued, "I'll see you tomorrow, Lady Luava."

"Ava," she corrected automatically.

When she realized what she'd done, her face turned beet red. Correcting the Prince? That was going to follow her around forever. He'd probably never ask her on a date now. Oh, who was she kidding? He would probably eliminate her first thing.

However, she soon saw his face, she relaxed. He was laughing softly, running a hand through his hair. "I'll call you Ava," he said, "as long as you agree to call me Eli. The whole royal title is honestly such a hassle." Then he took her hand and pressed his lips against her fingers.

As Brooklyn led her away, Ava couldn't help but feel a warm, tingling sensation spread from her fingers to the rest of her body. A small smile spread across her face, the first since she'd left her family behind.

"He's cute, huh?" asked Brooklyn.

This caused Ava to flush a deep red. "Yeah," she replied sheepishly. "I've been half in love with him since I was 7 years old."

"You and half of Illea," Brooklyn groaned. "You have no idea how difficult it is for us to go out in public! Just a couple weeks ago, he was taking me shopping in Kurton center, and we get mobbed. Like 100 girls were asking him to sign their 50 dollar lingerie. I swear, all of Angeles is crazy."

"That's awful," Ava giggled. "I promise I'll keep all of my underwear to myself."

Brooklyn winked. "Well, you are here to try to win his heart. Don't be too much of a stickler." She gestured to the door in front of them, bearing Ava's name and basic information. Then she glided down the hallway, calling back, "Goodbye, Ava! See you tomorrow!"

Ava smiled to herself. So far, castle life wasn't half bad. If the entire royal family was as kind as the two she'd just met, she wouldn't mind her time here at the palace at all. It was incredible that she'd seen and talked to Eli. There were so many things that she was grateful for.

She opened her door, only to let out a shocked scream.

Three maids lay, throats slit, on the bed.

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 **I've had this part planned out for a while. A lot of times, things are written on the spot (like Lia's hair cut or Starr's shenanigans in the first few chapters). In this case, though, I needed a follow up to the Queen Ines and Princess Colette crisis. This is going to be explored briefly in the next chapter. However, the Prince's first impressions and eliminations are going to be included as well, so it's going to be sort of a long one! Forgive me if it takes a while to update. Thanks once more for the undying support of everybody that leaves a review or takes the time to PM me. You guys mean the world to me!**


	18. Chapter 18: Eli

"For the last time, Vanceston," Eli griped, "this is not a case that can just be blown over. A 19 year old girl found three other young ladies dead in her room. That tends to be, oh, I don't know, a bit scarring? We're going to make an announcement to the Selected when we go down to meet them, and we're going to comfort Lady Luava. That is final." He slammed the phone into the receiver and collapsed onto his bed.

He felt an aching pain for the maids, for Ava. To go through that….he couldn't imagine. The other Selected near her room had gone rushing to see what had happened, as well as Brooklyn. They'd arrived to find poor Ava, in a dead faint on the ground. They'd seen the three maids, Mira, Amber, and Clara laying on the bed. Their throats had been cut open, blood trickling down their necks.

But that wasn't all. On the wall above Ava's bed, the blood had been used to draw a gruesome, horrifying figure of a snake twisting into an S shape. As soon as Eli had seen it, he had known.

Southern rebels.

They'd left a note again. "Since you haven't learned your lesson, more innocents have paid the price. Cease the Selection at once before the guests find themselves a target…." Eli had wanted to tear it into pieces, but instead had reluctantly handed it over to the chief of the Angeles Police Department.

He did his best to clear last night's incidents from his mind. Now, he was here to meet his Selected. In just 2 minutes, he would meet his future wife. Just 2 minutes until he saw her, talked to her, fell in love with her laugh, her smile. It was enough to push the threat to the back of his head, at least for now.

He strolled out of his room, nodding goodbye to Stanley.

The walk to the Dining Hall was brief, he'd specifically asked to be placed just two floors above it when he was 10 years old. Every now and then, he roamed down and took a bite or two to eat from the previous night's dinner.

The daunting wooden doors stared him in the face. Butterflies erupted in his stomach, filling his chest and legs and fingers until his whole body was tingling. This was it. The first impression. It was almost nothing, just a 2 minute conversation, yet it counted for everything.

He pushed the doors open, and strode inside.

There were so many of them. He hadn't realized just how many girls would be there. 35. There were some that were tall, some that were short. Some had skin the color of the earth, and some were pale as snow. There was a pixie cut on a beautiful girl that looked like she was from the lower provinces. There was a girl that had a long, flowing mane that reached her knees. There were a couple that he recognized. Reina sat towards the far side of the table talking to a mystical looking girl with white hair, amber eyes, and an indifferent expression. Ava sat towards the middle, blending in to the rest. Eli noticed guiltily that she had a haunted expression still lingering on her face.

"Hello, ladies," he called, and every eye was suddenly on him. Just as there was a range of girls, there was a range of reactions. Some were of awe, some of excitement, and a few were of disgust. Eli tried not to focus on those.

"I am beyond thrilled that all of you are here with us today," he said sincerely. "It thrills me to think that my future wife is sitting here in front of me. One of you 35 is going to make me the happiest man in the world." It was sappy, and he saw Brinley fake gagging in the background, but it was 100% true. "But seeing as there are so many of you, I can unfortunately only have a minute or two of your time. Breakfast will be an hour long, with a minute and a half for each of you."

He glanced over at his parents, who nodded. He grinned back. "So without further ado," he started excitedly, "Let's get to know each other! I'll start with Allens, and move on down the line alphabetically."

As the girls started to eat, Eli took a seat in one of the two chairs that had been set up in one corner of the room. One of the girls, a blonde girl with a mature expression, came over to him.

"Hello," he said. "What's your name?"

"Liselotte," she responded, a small smile on her face. "Liselotte Spurling."

Eli grinned at her. "And you're from Allens?"

"Yes," she replied, she smile growing wider. "I actually grew up in New York City, then moved out to Buffalo. I work as a horse trainer."

"That's really interesting," Eli said sincerely. "You know, we have a full stable out back. If you're ever interested in going back and looking at them, you're more than welcome. We could even go on a ride together sometime."

Her face lit up. "That sounds amazing," she gushed.

"I'll keep in touch about that," Eli promised, his whole body filled with ecstasy. This was going so well. The girls were so nice. "I'm afraid that's all the time that we have for now," he informed her, "but I was thrilled to meet you. Can you send over the Lady from Angeles?"

He already knew who it was, of course. The chamber pot girl, Lady Reina. He already knew how he was going to start their conversation.

She plopped in the chair and gave him a look that would make the devil shrink back into the wall. "You called me over just as I was going to eat one of those strawberry tarts."

"Good morning to you as well, stormcloud," he said, abandoning that plan in his brain. "Get it? Because your name is Reina? And you-"

"Got it, thanks," Reina said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Eli could see a hint of a smile on her face, though, which encouraged him.

"So how have you enjoyed your stay here so far?" he asked.

Seeming to consider this, Reina replied, "Well there have been snotty 2s and 3s, a dress so tight I can't breathe, and oh, did I mention the murdered maids? Yeah, other than that, it's been a walk in the park."

Eli's face fell. "I'm sorry," he said. "Maybe I can make it up to you? What do you like to do? We have a movie theater, a bowling alley, a stable, a garden."

"What kind of garden?"

"Well," Eli said, "We have all sorts of fruit, like apple trees, cherry trees, watermel-" He cut off as he noticed the next girl, Justice from Atlin, looking over anxiously. He turned back to Reina and looked at her intensely. "I'll pick you up at 3:00 tomorrow and we can go."

Before she had a chance to respond, the Atlin girl was rushing over, and Reina nodded reluctantly.

Justice was decidedly uninteresting. She was very energetic, but didn't have much to say underneath the bouncy exterior. The girls after her were distinctly unnoticable as well. Some were kind, some were tough, some were horrible. Some he actually liked, and could tell there was more to their personality than what they were showing off.

The next one that struck him was the pixie haired girl with golden highlights. He smiled widely at her as she took a seat. She seemed almost….mystical. In a way that Eli couldn't explain. Her eyes were filled with wisdom.

"You're Lady….Dahlia, correct?" he asked.

She shuddered. "Please, I hate that name. Call me Lia." She had a vague Honduraguan lilt to her voice, that was equal parts intriguing and endearing.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Lia. You're from Honduragua, right? May I ask specifically where? I've made several trips there," he said.

She made a gesture over her shoulder that looked like it might have been a hair flip. Her eyes darkened momentarily before she said, "I'm from Choloma. Right next to the ocean." Her face took on a wistful expression when she mentioned it.

"It's important to you?"

Her eyes filled with the most intense emotion Eli had seen in his life. It sent a shiver down his spine to watch. Like he was invading a personal moment.

"It means the world to me."

Even after she returned to her seat, Eli couldn't help but shake the feeling that there was an ocean of knowledge the Lia possesed.

And he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

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 **Hope you like this little segment! There's going to be a couple more of these, from the girls' perspective. They're going to be good, so tune in.**


	19. Chapter 19: Vela and Gigi

As Vela awoke, she was aware of gorgeous sunlight filtering through the window. For a moment, it was disorienting. She usually stayed in a hotel with black curtains to block out the light.

However, this was much more pleasant. This was like surfacing in a pool, pleasant and refreshing. She hadn't had such a good night sleep in what felt like years. The pillows were perfectly bunched, the blankets impeccably soft.

She stretched, her soft pajamas smooth against her skin. They'd been specifically tailored by her three amazing maids. There was Tina, her head maid, an immigrant from Italy. It was most uncommon to see an older maid, but Tina was so good at her job that they'd let her continue years after she'd reached the age most maids were sent to the kitchen. There was Ashley, the sweetest girl Vela had ever met. She'd layered compliment after compliment on Vela's hair, eyes, and smile. The best part was: Vela could tell she was being 100% genuine.

And of course, there was Sophia. Sophia hadn't spoken much. Mostly just listened to Tina. Vela had felt a pang of pity in her heart for the girl, it was obvious she was shy. She'd decided to be especially kind to her.

The dress laid out was simply beautiful. It was a silky, fire truck red thing that looked like it would fall just below her knees. A layer of lacey leaf patterns covered the bottom slip, adding to volume and grace. Without even trying it on, Vela knew that it would compliment her cinnamon skin and black hair perfectly.

She slipped off her pajamas, anxious to get her very first palace dress on. Just as she'd suspected, it was softer than the morning grass. She could barely tell she was even wearing it, yet at the same time felt 100 times more beautiful. 100 times more confident. 100 times more ready to meet Prince Elias and continue on with this Selection. Stepping into a pair of shiny black flats, she rang the bell, signaling her maids to hurry upstairs to perfect her makeup.

Once all of that was done, she rushed downstairs and opened the large wooden doors to the Dining Hall. But before she took a step inside, she was almost knocked down by the sheer size of it all.

There were so many girls. So many. She saw Ana towards the far side of the table, as well as the other girls from her group scattered around the room. Ignoring the opulent decorations for the time being, she made her way to the empty seat next to Ana.

"Wow, this is big," she whispered.

"Nice observation," Ana said, laughing.

Vela elbowed her and dug into the breakfast in front of her. There was a large assortment of pancakes, waffles, strawberries, bananas, hot chocolate, french toast, butter, jelly, milk, eggs, sausage, and just about every other breakfast food she could think of. She reached for a piece of french toast and began to lather it in a thick layer of syrup.

On the other side of the table, towards the doors, she caught a glimpse of Lady Luava, the girl who had had her maids murdered. There wasn't anything on her plate, and she was staring down at her hands dejectedly. Vela felt a burst of pity in her heart for her.

"I want to go talk to Luava," she whispered to Ana. "She looks kind of lonely, and I can't even imagine what she's been through the last 12 hours."

Ana nodded, but at that exact moment, the door burst open. Everybody turned to catch a glimpse of who was striding in.

It was Prince Elias, of course. Vela's jaw dropped slightly as she got her first look at him in the flesh. He was a little shorter than she'd imagined, but she could see now that his face was not done justice on TV. He had an aura about him, somebody who commanded respect. Somewhere in her brain, a tiny switch got turned on. Suddenly, the stakes were a little higher than they had been before.

"Hello, ladies," he said, his voice just as low and resonant as she had imagined it. "I am beyond thrilled that all of you are here with us today. It thrills me to think that my future wife is sitting here in front of me. One of you 35 is going to make me the happiest man in the world. But seeing as there are so many of you, I can unfortunately only have a minute or two of your time. Breakfast will be an hour long, with a minute and a half for each of you. So without further ado, let's get to know each other! I'll start with Allens, and move on down the line alphabetically."

It took a little while for Vela to be called, as Panama was towards the bottom of the list. Ana went up about 15th, and returned looking slightly annoyed.

"How was it?" Vela asked enthusiastically.

Ana shrugged. "It was fine. The conversation was dry. But it was fine."

The anticipation started to grow in Vela as she watched girl after girl get motioned over to sit down with Prince Elias. There was a wide variety of conversation. Some looked incredibly boring, some awkward, and a few that made her jealous. The girl with a pixie cut earned an adoring stare from him, and she came back looking sufficiently pleased with herself.

Finally, it was her turn. As soon as Lady Flora from Paloma was dismissed, she was on her feet and ready to go.

"Hey, there," he said as she sat across from him. "You look a bit eager."

"Don't flatter yourself," Vela said quickly. "Lady Isle was going on about how successful her modeling has been going lately."

"Ah, yes, I remember her," mused Elias. He looked Vela in the eyes. "What do you do?"

"I'm a dancer," she replied. Was that all? Was that everything about her that she could share. "I actually dance backup for Lyza Rambley. You may of heard of her the past couple months."

"A few times, yes," Elias responded, laughter in his eyes from her sarcasm.

The rest of the conversation was easy, all 45 seconds of it. Elias just became one of her friends, perhaps Pete or Kile. They joked about the weather, about the Selection. Vela found herself easing into a more comfortable stance. She was almost sad when it came time for her to return to her seat.

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The palace was truly beautiful. The stained glass windows and the velvety soft carpeting were higher quality than anything Gigi had seen in her life. There were few things that softened her heart the way this castle had, but she liked it. She liked feeling at peace.

It hadn't always been like this. Even when she was at home, there had been a relative calm, at least until Miles had reappeared. The thought of him brought a shudder to Gigi's spine. He thoroughly disgusted her. It was difficult for her to wrap her mind around the fact that he'd tried to attack her on her way out. At least she'd come out on top. At last she hadn't succumbed like she had all those years ago.

 _The small, slight girl drifted through the alleys like a tumbleweed. There was nowhere for her to go, nowhere for her to hide. Her pale face drunk in the light of the moon as she wandered. A glint appeared in her amber eyes, and she kept walking further. Further away from the mess of a man she called 'father.'_

 _She wandered like this for ages, it felt. In reality, it was mere weeks. On November 5th, she'd left her house. And she arrived at the spot where she was doomed to falter on December 13th._

 _As she crouched beneath the cherry tree in the park, she heard a low, chaotic voice from behind her. "Hello, little girl."_

 _She spun around quickly. "Good day."_

" _Where are you headed, may I ask?"_

" _I'm….I'm headed to my grandmother's house," she responded weakly. "She's very sick, and my mother has sent me to check in on her." It was a lie, and the man knew it._

" _Perhaps I can help you out," he said slyly. "Come with me and I'll bring you to your grandmother's."_

 _The girl's voice took on a high pitched tone. "I'm sorry, sir," she choked, "but I can't. I need to keep going, I can't stray-"_

 _But whatever else she was going to say was lost on the wind as the stranger grabbed her dingy old red sweatshirt and pulled her away._

Shaking her head to ward away the memories, Gigi slipped into the Dining Hall. She walked quietly over to where Reina was sitting. She'd bonded with her while they were getting their makeover. She liked Reina. She was spunky, and full of life. There was a fire burning in her heart, whereas the candle had long dimmed in Gigi's. It was refreshing to watch her spirit.

She reached over and plucked a couple of strawberries off the plate in front of her. They were large and plump, an improvement to her usual meals. Luckily, if she could help it, she would never eat a can of convenience store refried beans again.

"That's all?" Reina asked, shoveling another pile of waffles onto her plate. It was already stuffed stock full of pastries and french toast. Gigi nodded slowly. She could tell from Reina's malnourished frame that she didn't get enough to eat at home.

"...can't believe some of them even bothered to show up," Gigi heard one of the girls across from her mutter. She cocked her head in their direction, and saw Reina do the same out of the corner of her eye.

The girl continued. "I mean, Elias might be open minded and all, but he's still not going to go so far as to choose a 6 or 7."

"Even the 5s are probably wasting their time," said the girl next to her. They giggled infuriatingly.

Gigi felt Reina tense next to her, and Gigi panicked for a moment. She'd heard whispers from her maids about the Selected who had thrown a palace official in the chamber pot. The last thing Gigi wanted was for Reina to get in trouble this early on. So she reached out a hand, carefully keeping her friend in check.

Prince Elias came in eventually, but Gigi didn't pay that much attention. He said something about being happy….she couldn't concentrate on whatever speech he was giving. She was beginning to size up the competition.

There were the 2s, of course. Around 6 or 7 of them. Most were snotty, looking around the palace as though they already owned it. A couple seemed nice enough, if a bit naive.

Then there were 3s. Several of them sat to one side, seeming to be engaged in a deep conversation, perhaps about ethics. Or the square root of some extraordinarily large or small number. Gigi didn't know what smart people talked about, and frankly, she didn't care.

Surprisingly, there weren't many 4s. Perhaps 2 or 3. She squinted at the nametag of one of them. _Tricia Beaumont, Fennley, 4._ Her face was sour, as if she'd had one two many overripe strawberries.

"Regina Edwards, Waverly."

They were towards the end of the list, now. Gigi knew she had to make an impression. It was lucky that she was one of the last ones. She would stick in his head like a piece of gum. If, of course, all went according to plan.

"Hi," Prince Elias said as she took a seat. "I like your hair. Did the makeup crew dye it that color?"

"Actually, this is natural," Gigi said automatically. She was used to the hair comment.

Elias's eyebrows shot up. "That's really neat. Where are you from? I know Waverly, but where specifically?"

Gigi sighed. "That's debatable," she admitted. "I was living in a little town called Arlington before I came here. But the last 5 years, I've been all over the country. Sometimes….sometimes it feels like I'm not from anywhere."

The Prince nodded slowly. He looked thoughtful. "I can understand that," he said. "The palace is where I live. But it's also where my job is. It can be difficult to think of it a home."

A light flickered in Gigi's eyes. Her whole life was turned upside down. Recently, Miles could track her down, she could go to the palace, the Prince could understand her plight to some degree. What was happening?

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 **Ok, I think I've got a reliable schedule for writing now. I'll probably update Saturday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday whenevers. Also, I recently showed this to a couple of my friends and they gave me some constructive criticism that I'll address. First of all, I know that a lot of things that happen might seem unrealistic, especially the people getting killed. I'll try to make them a little more believable, but in the cases of the people that already died, just suspend your disbelief for the sake of the story lol. Also, I know that in the Selection series, the caste system was abolished, but in my story, it's just more fun if it isn't, and I know a lot of other authors feel the same way. But anyway, if you read this far, thanks for listening to my rambling!**


	20. Chapter 20: Eli

There were just 2 more girls to meet with. One was the girl from Zuni, Alys Pemberley or whatever her name was. The other was from Yukon. He looked closely at the list written on his hands. Yukon was….

He smiled delightedly. The Yukon girl was Ava! Finally, he would get the chance to tell her in person how sorry he was for what had happened. Last night, he hadn't been able to console her, relying instead on Brooklyn and an assortment of other palace officials. He'd been watching her at breakfast, feeling downcast about how upset she looked. Now was his chance to make it up to her.

"Luava Qappik, Yukon, 7," he called. Her head perked up from where she'd been staring numbly at her single pancake. He tried to give her his biggest smile, and she allowed a small one on her face.

As she walked over, Eli couldn't help but notice the gorgeous necklace she wore. It was simplistic, just a dark brown cord with a smooth, rounded white stone at the end. But it seemed to tell a story, to contain a lifetime of history.

"Hi, Eli," she said shyly, sitting down across from him.

He smiled kindly. "Hello, Ava," he said. "I never got to say how sorry I was for what happened to you the other day."

She dipped her head. "Well, I'm sure it was worse for those poor maids than it was for me. I can't imagine how frightening it must have been for them."

"Well, anyway, your new maids will be sent up to your room posthaste. I believe they are three of the most capable women in the castle. If I recall correctly, their names are Farrah, Addie, and Eliza. All excellent girls," Eli said sincerely. "You'll be in good hands."

"Thank you," she responded. "I look forward to meeting them."

Eli settled back in his seat. "So how have you been adjusting to life at the palace? It must be very different from Yukon."

"Oh yes," Ava said wholeheartedly. "It's so strange. I keep expecting to look out and see snow everywhere, but instead it's just…." she trailed off. "Grass. And cement. Strange concepts."

"Completely bizarre," Eli agreed.

Giggling softly, Ava said, "Have you ever been to Yukon?"

"Once or twice," Eli replied, "I'm required to visit each Province every 10 years. It's kind of a bore, but whatever. I get to travel the world. I get to see new places. What about you? Do you get out of Yukon much?"

"Actually, I've never left," Ava answered in a soft voice. She tucked a strand of her hair out of her face. "There was never an opportunity or the money. This is the first time I've ever been more than a few miles away from home."

"So that's why you were homesick," Eli concluded.

A deep rouge spread through Ava's cheeks. "Actually," she said sheepishly, "I wasn't homesick. Well, I was, but that's not why I was crying." At Eli's raised eyebrow, she explained hurriedly. "I had asked Sir Vanceton which way my room was, but he wouldn't help me because I was a 7. And I guess I just got a little overemotional."

Eli's face told her that she hadn't, actually, been overreacting. "I've been trying to get rid of Vanceton for years," he griped. "But I can't. As despicable as he is, he has a lot of important ties, a lot of money, and a lot of experience. My father won't let me fire him." He leaned close to Ava's ear. "I'll let you in on a secret, though. That girl, Reina? She pushed him into a chamber pot closet and locked him in there."

Letting out a soft snort, Ava asked, "Really? And you didn't punish her at all?"

Eli's smile faltered slightly. "I would never punish any of you," he said intensely. "Not for something like that."

Ava's face twitched, like she was grappling with what to respond. Unfortunately, she never got to say anything. Out of the corner of his eye, Eli saw his mother tapping her wrist. Time to move on.

"I'm sorry, Ava, but it's time for the last girl. Would you send over Lady….Alys from Zuni?" he asked.

"Of course," Ava replied, standing up. She gave him a small smile, then returned to her seat. Eli watched her tap the shoulder of Alys on her way over, and the girl nodded appreciatively.

"Good morning, Lady Alys," he said, and just like that, the whole thing was started again.

After a minute and a half, Eli stood, a fake smile on his face. He had thoroughly regretted wasting those precious seconds of his life on a girl so incredibly detestable. She smelled of garbage, even after the vigorous cleaning he knew she had endured. Her attitude didn't smell much better.

Everybody else was finishing up. Eli counted out the girls that had stood out to him. Liselotte, Reina, Lia, Vela, Regina, and Ava. He'd have to make sure that he asked them out on a date sometime that week.

As for the others. Some he was indifferent towards. Some he disliked. Some were completely and undeniably unbearable. So, completely opposite to what he had thought originally, he decided to make the first cut.

"Thank you so much to everybody that took the time to meet with me today," he said. "I'd like to speak with a few of you after breakfast. Can I please have the Ladies Megan, Sadie-Rose, Alys, Rae, Liane, Brinda, Charlotte, and Hazel? Follow me into the adjacent room. Ladies Liselotte, Reina, Vela, Regina, and Ava please stay here."

The girls picked their stuff up, immediately whispering frantically. Some had smug expressions, some had worried eyes, all of them possessed a manic energy that Eli expected. He saw Ava wipe a tear from her eye, and his heart burst. He wished he could tell her right now she wasn't being sent home, but that wouldn't be fair to the others.

Once all of the girls he'd called were assembled, he led them into the other room, a spare strategy area that nobody had used in years. He took a seat at the head of the table and invited the others to do the same.

"As you know," he said slowly, "It is always very difficult for me to choose who goes and who stays at the palace."

With that simple sentence, he watched every girl's anxious expression take on a new look. There were those who were sad, with red, bleary eyes and shaking breaths already. He hadn't even sent them home yet. There were some that were angry. Their hands were clenched, their faces were red.

He hadn't expected to, but Eli's throat closed up just a little. He had had so much hope for these girls. They'd had so much hope for their stay here. Despite the awful conversations he'd had, it was probably worse for them to be sent home so quickly. Maybe it was better if he kept them here a few more days.

No. He needed to be firm. He needed to make sure that people knew that he meant business. He'd seen the articles. He'd heard the whispers. He knew there were people that thought he was weak. There were people that questioned his ability to be King.

Well this would show them. He could eliminate people.

But he would still be soft.

"I'm so sorry, but it's for the best that you all return home. It was lovely meeting you, and I look forward to watching you all live happy and successful lives. You will be expected to pack your things today, and leave tonight. Thank you all so much for your time, and I apologize for any inconvenience," Eli said succinctly.

There was crying. There was a whole lot of crying. One of the girls, Brinda, he thought, threw herself against his chest and begged him to let her stay. Apparently she'd been madly in love with him since her birth.

He gently pushed her off, and left the girls to mourn with each other. They would be able to come to terms with it. Eventually. Maybe not today. He noticed one of them glaring daggers at him as he left, looking like she was fully capable of commiting a murder right then and there.

He strode back into the Dining Hall, where the remaining girls were whispering quietly among themselves. As he entered, they all looked up, startled eyes and quivering lips.

"Congrats. You made it past the first elimination," he said cheerfully. "And you passed with flying colors."

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 **Hi! Sorry I didn't upload last night. I had an unexpected Christmas party I was invited to, and didn't have time to finish/upload. It's also just been a crazy few weeks (I'm sure you can relate) but here it finally is! If you didn't see your girl talk to Eli, DONT WORRY she will get to spend quality time with him within the next few chapters;) As usual, it would be great if you leave a review, let me know how I'm doing! Thanks lol.**


	21. Chapter 21: Reina and Viv

He had asked her out. She'd thought she'd been eliminated, but it was a date. He had actually asked her on a date. On her 1st day in the palace. She almost couldn't believe it. The moment ran over and over again in her head as she considered it.

When he had returned to the Dining Hall, she'd thought they were all going home. But then he'd smiled, and taken them each aside and told them they were doing well. _Reina,_ he'd asked, _will you do me the pleasure of joining me in the gardens tomorrow at 3 o'clock? I'll ask you officially this time._

Why had he made them all stay in the Dining Hall? Why hadn't he simply asked them out on their own time? Why make such a huge fuss? Reina wasn't sure. She figured he was simply nervous, and didn't know quite how to work this whole Selection thing.

She'd told her maids right away. Just so they could keep it in the back of her mind. In case she wanted something big and fancy. Or….special, at least. That's the word she was looking for. Something that would make her stand out just a little.

"That's tremendous, Lady Reina," Vera, her maid had said. "We'll whip you something right up."

Now they were working tirelessly, and the date was in less than 10 minutes. She was pacing across the room, her mind in a frenzy. Her long, blonde curls flowed behind, her probably getting hopelessly tangled.

"Are you alright?" asked another of her maids.

"I'm fine," assured Reina. "I'm just anxious."

"You're the first date of the whole Selection," her third maid said. "Of course you're nervous."

"Done!" exclaimed Vera, holding up the dress. It was casual, a thin flowy fabric that cascaded down to Reina's ankles. A beautiful, floral pattern covered the cream base. Reina could feel her eyes grow wider as she stared it up or down.

"Well don't just stand there," Vera said. "Go put it on!"

With a start, Reina snapped out of her awe. She accepted the dress from her maid gladly, and hurriedly slipped off her current apparel of sweatpants and a tee shirt. IT had been a little uncomfortable letting her maids dress her at first, but she was now accustomed to it. They were kind, and she already trusted them with her life. They were just 6s trying to get along in the world. Just like her.

As soon as the dress was on and adjusted, there came a knock at her door.

"That's him," breathed Reina.

"We haven't even done your hair," one maid complained.

"It's alright, she looks gorgeous anyway," gushed Vera. "She'll make quite the impression on the Prince."

The third maid was already hurrying to the door. She pulled it open, and Reina saw Elias standing there, dressed in a comfortable looking shirt and dress pants. His hair was slicked back in a way that would have looked disgusting on anybody else. On him, though, it only looked Kingly.

"Hello, there, stormcloud," he said, his eyes alight. "You sure clean up nicely."

Nodding at her maids, Reina stepped out into the hallway with him. He offered her his arm, and after a moment of sullen hesitation, she accepted. Everything about her instincts told her this was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be here at the palace, cozying up to the 1s. The very people that made her life so miserable.

And yet here she was.

"I'm quite excited for you to see the gardens," Elias said. "Even though it's December, there are still a few things that are alive. Not much, I'm afraid. But it still looks beautiful."

Reina hadn't even considered the fact that it was winter. In her experience, though the Angeles days only dropped to 30 degrees, things didn't generally grow after October. Suddenly, the date seemed a little less exciting.

They walked outside, and turned around the corner of the castle. They stepped down a quaint dirt path, spotted with heather. Reina smiled softly. She and her mother planted a garden of heather and pansies every summer. They were the only flowers that would last until winter.

At that moment, she got her first sight of the Royal Gardens. It was more magnificent than she could have imagined. Tall, imposing, evergreen trees lined the grounds, with bounds of heather and pansies, as well as dogwood, viburnum, helleborus, japanese quine-

"How do you like it?" Elias asked.

Reina could barely answer. "It's beautiful," she breathed. "How….how long did it take you to do this?"

Elias tapped his chin. "We planted them in early summer, so that they would bloom right about now. Dozens of scientists, herbalists, and biologists were consulted. My mother and I helped to plant it."

"That's fantastic." She hesitated. "Can I…."

With a chuckle, Eli replied, "Go right ahead. I brought you here so that you could see it. I felt like you would be able to appreciate it."

She didn't have to be told twice. Clutching her winter coat close to her, she dashed off towards the grounds. It had been too long since she and her mother had had enough money to sustain a garden. Reina had grown up learning how to weed, plant, prune, and everything in between.

As she stood among the plants, she let out a small shiver. There was something almost spiritual about it. It released the anger, the bitterness. As she turned to see Elias walking towards her, her heart felt simply liberated.

"I knew you'd like it," the Prince said. He noticed her shiver. "Are you cold?"

"Only a little," Reina admitted.

He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. "I wouldn't want my stormcloud becoming a snowcloud," he said, holding her tight against him.

Perhaps it was the garden, or the snow beginning to softly drift around her, but as Reina looked into Eli's eyes, she felt as though she were looking through a whole new perspective.

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It was dark.

Pitch black.

Viv's eyes slid open as she felt her mind enter consciousness. She became vaguely aware of her surroundings, the bed underneath her and the blanket above her. However, when she looked around her room, she realized that it was as dark as the back of her eyelids had been.

She looked around, fumbling for the clock on her nightstand. When her eyes adjusted to the blinding analog, she made out the glowing numbers _2:43._ Letting out a groan of annoyance, Viv collapsed back into bed and pulled her pillow on top of her face.

It wasn't any use, though. She was awake and there was nothing she could do about it. Even now she could feel the sleepiness leaving her head. Her thoughts became more coherent, her senses sharper.

Infuriating.

A thought crossed her mind. Hadn't Prince Elias said that there was a library in the castle? He'd mentioned it the other day when she'd met him. And if she remembered her directions correctly….it was right underneath her.

So she slipped out of bed, with only minimal worry that a demon was going to streak down the hallway and possess her. As a kid, she'd been absolutely terrified of paranormal stuff. But as she had grown, she'd realized there were much scarier things than ghosts.

As she crept down the hallway, her heart began beating quickly. There may not be anything particularly scary in the castle, but there were officials. For the first time, it crossed her mind that she might get in trouble because of this. Had Sara Blaine, the Royal Planner of Illea, said anything about when she was allowed to wander or not? She didn't remember.

After a brief flight of stairs and a turn down the hallway, she saw the wide french doors Prince Elias had told her about. They were truly beautiful, with clean white wood and flawless glass. She walked towards them, running a hand across the smooth panes.

Surprisingly, there was a light on inside the library. She didn't know if it was a good or bad sign. On the one hand, perhaps it was kept on all night, and she wouldn't have to search in the dark. On the other hand, there might be somebody in there. Somebody she didn't want to see.

She was extra cautious as she pushed open the doors and walked into the library. Too late, she realized that her feet were bare. The wood beneath them was cold and hard.

But none of that mattered as soon as she was surrounded by the books. There were hundreds. Thousands. Too many to count. Her heartbeat slowed as she slowly caressed the covers of one of her favorites, a centuries old classic known as "The Great Gatsby".

She brought it over to a nearby chair, and settled in. It was more comfortable than anything in the Orphanage, even more comfortable than Levi's house. She felt as though she could sink through the chair and get lost in her book forever….

A crash made her freeze, snapped out of her contentment. It was followed by a string of mild curse words, and the sounds of somebody apparently hopping around on one foot.

Despite everything telling her to slip out of the library, Viv stood from her chair and moved towards the commotion. It sounded vaguely like Prince Elias, but she couldn't be sure. If it was him, she didn't think he would be too upset with her. If it wasn't….well, she would get to that if it ended up being a problem.

It didn't. As she looked through one of the bookshelves, she saw the Prince hopping around like a lunatic, clutching his foot. An encyclopedia lay open on the ground, perhaps 5 times the size of a regular book.

"Prince Elias?" she asked.

He didn't even bat an eye as she approached him. "Please call me Eli," he groaned, rubbing his toes.

"Well alright, Eli," Viv said, slightly taken aback. It was so casual! However, she supposed it was what she'd come to expect from the royal family from her years of watching them. "You may want to take a seat. Hopping around like that can't be helpful."

Eli obliged, sitting down on a cushion nearby. Once the pain had apparently subsided, he looked up. "What are you doing down here?"

"Couldn't sleep," Viv answered. But suddenly, the fear was back in her heart. Had she overestimated Eli? Would be upset? Would she be sent home?

But instead, he smiled. "You, too, eh?"

They sat in the cosy silence of the vast room, each trying to think of something else to say.

"What were you trying to find in the encyclopedia?" Viv asked finally.

"Oh, just some word," Eli muttered. "Prestidigitation. It was mentioned in a book I was reading with Brinley, and I couldn't figure out what on earth it was."

"Prestidigitation is sleight of hand. Magic," Viv said automatically. "Not like, wizardry or sorcery. Commonplace card tricks and street performers."

One of Eli's eyebrows shot up. "Thank you," he offered. "How on earth did you know that?"

Viv shrugged. "I read a lot," was her simple answer.

Letting out a disbelieving chuckle, Eli said, "Well, let's see how good you are. I'll give you a word from this encyclopedia, and you define it." Without waiting for her response, he began. "Abasement."

"The act of feeling humiliated or degraded," Viv fired back.

"Exoenzyme."

"An enzyme that acts outside the cell that produces it."

They continued into the night, until Viv glanced at a clock on the wall and exclaimed that it was nearly 5 in the morning. After that, they slunk back to their rooms.

But something had definitely, most positively changed.

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 **Sorry! I know I'm not sticking to my schedule at all. I'm super busy all the time. We'll see if things start to move more quickly in the coming weeks! As always, please leave a review and let me know how I'm doing!**


	22. Chapter 22: Eli

Eli stalked down the hallway, his winter cape billowing behind him. He'd just been on a date, walking in the snow with a girl named Jasmine. It hadn't been going very well, she'd been entitled and self absorbed. But it was better than attending an emergency meeting with Sir Vanceton. Which was where he was now, unfortunately, headed.

"Where are you headed in such a hurry?" came a sulky voice from behind him.

Stopping dead in his tracks, he turned to see his sister, Stella, leaning against a wall. In his haste to get to the meeting, he had blown right past her.

"Sir Vanceton called an emergency meeting," he said politely. "Said something about finding new information about the killing of the maids. And it couldn't wait until I'd finished my date apparently."

"Judging by how she looks, and how you look, it would have been ruined eventually," Stella responded saltily. Normally, the remark would have been accompanied by a small twinkle in her eyes, but now there was nothing.

That did it. As a general rule, Eli didn't care what Stella did to him when she was upset. She could ignore him, send him rude glances, or stay locked up in her room. He didn't care. He didn't control his sister and her sulking. That wasn't his jurisdiction.

But as soon as she came after his Selection, anything was fair game.

"Do you have something that you want to say to me?" he asked harshly. "I understood when you were upset after Colette and I came to talk to you. But what is this? Insulting my Selection? It's not becoming, _dear sister_."

She growled. " _Dear brother,_ maybe you aren't as observant as you seem. You claim to be so smooth, so kind, so smart. But really, you couldn't even see your own hand if it smacked you in the face."

With this, she tried to storm off the other way, but Eli wasn't having it. "Just wait until I tell mother and father about this behavior," he warned. "I'm sure they won't be proud."

"So you're going back to your childhood role of tattle tale?" Stella sneered. "Now _that's_ unbecoming. Grow up a little."

She stormed off with a flounce of her hair, and Eli couldn't do anything but stare dumbfoundedly. After a few seconds, he tried to brush it off. Tried to tell himself that it didn't really matter to him.

He _never_ fought with his sisters. Sure they would have occasional tiffs, that sometimes were reduced to shouting matches. But the shouts were never packed with meaning. By dinner, they were joking around as usual.

This was different. There was something malevolent about Stella and her intents. He couldn't figure it out. Maybe he would speak with Brooklyn about it tonight.

But for now, he had a meeting to get to. A quick dash down the hallway, and he was at the door marked, "Office of the Advisor to the King." Sir Vanceton's much hated room. Eli wished he could kick the door down and use the shrapnels to hit his ugly face.

Goodness. What was happening to him? So much hate. Maybe Stella was rubbing off on him.

He knocked firmly on the door. If there was one thing he'd learned from his 21 years as a prince, it was how to make an impression when he knocked. Perhaps the most useless skill he'd ever developed.

When Sir Vanceton pulled open the door, Eli knew there would be no good news involved in the meeting. The Advisor's face was saggier than usual, his deep set eyes looking almost sorrowful.

"Please, come in, Elias," he said, his voice downcast.

Suspicion and dread filling Eli's heart, he stepped into the room he'd come to hate. It was dark, with little decoration. Suffocating.

"Have a seat." He gestured to the table that was stacked full of papers, folders, and various objects. He walked over towards it and plopped down in his chair. It had had its arms cut off so that he could sit comfortably.

He looked at Eli, who sat down cautiously next to him. "I'm afraid I have some shocking news. But before we get to that, let's talk about the Selection. Do you want to continue it?"

"Of course," Eli blurted.

Raising an eyebrow, Sir Vanceton said, "I was afraid you'd say that."

"Well, what's wrong with a Selection?" Eli asked. "What's wrong with something that will benefit the whole Kingdom, as well as myself?"

"Have you got your head in the clouds boy? Five people are dead because of it! It's causing national alarm. People are calling for this blasted competition to end, and I fulheartedly agree," Sir Vanceton announced gruffly.

Eli ran his hands through his hair. "I understand that," he said, "but this is the Selection we're talking about it. For every person that wants it to end, a hundred people would be devastated."

"It would be on your conscience if any more young women died," Sir Vanceton warned. "Is that how you want to be remembered? As a killer?"

"You're so overdramatic. A killer? More like the Prince that did anything he could to make sure that his people got the ruler they all deserved. I might even take down some rebels while I'm at it," Eli offered.

Sir Vanceton shook his head. "That's simply not an option."

"How about this?" Eli asked. "We continue the Selection. The only difference is, we don't broadcast it to the general public. That way, I'll find a wife, the Kingdom will get its Queen, and nobody will be any the wiser."

"There is actually a slight problem with that," Sir Vanceton said gravely. He reached over to the papers, and Eli felt his heart drop like a bird shot from the sky.

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Reina stared angrily down at the girls chatting below her. She hated all of them. There was Jasmine, who'd just come back from a date with Eli that had been cut short. She was apparently ranting to Sofie and Isle, her appointed gossip buddies. Reina had caught them talking about her multiple times. Sofie had her stupid bodyguard with her as well. There was simply no way they weren't sleeping together, and Eli was blind to not see it.

In her peripheral vision, she looked at a pitcher filled with ice cold lemonade. If she really tried, she could make it look like an accident. There were flowers in her windowsill. She could claim it had gotten stuffy, so she'd opened the windows. And then when she'd gone to water her plants, the pitcher had simply slipped out of control.

Oops.

The pitcher was poised in position, ready to drop at any moment. If she could just get the aim right….

The door to her room flew open, and in her shock, Reina poured every last drop out and onto the ground below. However, to her utter delight, it splattered all over the girls, soaking their fur coats. Grinning impishly, Reina ducked her back into her room and faced Eli, who had just entered.

"We need to talk, stormcloud," he announced, taking a seat in her armchair.

"Yes, your royal entitledness?" she asked dryly, giving him a pointed glance. "Most people knock before entering a room. And before taking the only comfortable seat in said room."

"I'll ignore both that comment and the fact that you just drenched a group of innocent girls if you listen to what I have to say," he said exhaustedly. Reina noticed that his face seemed to have aged exponentially. His eyes were weary, and a stubble seemed to have appeared on his usually clean shaven chin.

"What's up?" Reina asked. Even she knew when to draw the line when it came to pushing buttons. Something was definitely wrong with Eli.

He sighed, a long, deep sigh that sounded like he held the weight of worlds. "Our detectives have been searching the case of the maids," he said. "And every bit of evidence they've collected points to Stella being the perpetrator."

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 **Thanks so much to everyone who is still reading this! I know we had a little extra Reina, but I felt like I didn't write her character quite right in the last chapter. This is the real her: pranks and all. Again, a humongous THANK YOU to everybody who takes the time to leave a review! It means so much to me. Even if you read my story in real life, asking questions or saying what you liked/disliked helps me as well. Next chapter is about a little bit of a skirmish between two girls...cause you know we love drama.**


	23. Chapter 23: Sofie and Ava

Who did she think she was? Get Selected and go on one little date with the Prince and suddenly she owned the place? Suddenly she had the right to drench anyone at any time? No. This stupid little Six was not going to get away with what she'd done. Sofie was going to make sure of that.

"Are you going to yell at her?" Isle asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes, indeed I am," Sofie replied angrily.

"No, indeed you're not," Cole said, grabbing her arm. "You want to get eliminated? Over a pitcher of lemonade?"

Sofie yanked herself out of Cole's reach. "She has it coming," she replied snappily. "Ever since we got here it's been entitled prank after entitled prank. Sometimes, a girl has to be put in her place."

"Look who's talking," Cole muttered.

"Excuse me?" Sofie questioned, aghast. "You're calling me entitled? You're saying _I_ should be put in my place? Where have you been living these past few weeks? Everybody's been against me." She stormed up the stairs, not even checking so see if her bodyguard was behind her.

She knew the way to the Women's Room by heart. It was where she spent most of her time, usually gossiping with Isle and Jasmine. Sometimes, Princess Brinley would join in the chatter. Sofie found it refreshing to speak with someone so young, still so impressionable. Plus, she was funny.

But she wasn't headed to the Women's Room to gossip this time. She'd just spent half an hour getting the lemonade off of her dress, out of her hair. Time that could have been spent comforting Jasmine. Or talking to Eli. Now her favorite dress was ruined, her hair wouldn't be dry by dinner tonight, and Cole was mad at her.

She hated when she fought with Cole.

As she strolled into the room, some of the other girls sent each other looks. Sofie pretended like it didn't bother her. So what the other girls disliked her? So what they thought she was just a prissy, bratty Two? She had her friends. She had her Cole.

"Reina," she hissed.

The blonde girl was sitting at the window talking quietly with Gigi Edwards. As soon as Gigi saw Sofie, her expression soured. A glance was thrown at Reina, who needed. Gigi stood, and stalked past Sofie, not even bothering to acknowledge her.

Reina looked up at Sofie, smugness exuding from every part of her. "Sofie," she said dryly. "How nice to see you. You're looking a bit….wet."

The speech that Sofie had rehearsed in her head leapt to her mouth. "Reina Yeres," she snarled. "This has gone too far. You've gone from being an insignificant little nuisance to a public menace. The smaller, more tolerable pranks were one thing. This is quite another. One behalf of everybody here who is decent and wholesome, I insist that you cease your entitled and reckless behavior." For some reason, it sounded a lot more stupid out loud than it had in her mind.

Raising both her eyebrows, Reina said, "Oh, so now I'm entitled? Says the one issuing proclamations like she's already Queen."

Something short circuited in Sofie's brain. Reina wasn't supposed to fight back. She was supposed to apologize, and meekly admit that she was a worthless, aggravating little pig. The other girls were supposed to applaud Sofie's natural kindness and heroism.

That was not what was happening. Reina was smiling as though she'd won the fight, and the Selected were starting to laugh. Sofie felt her cheeks rush with color, her whole head becoming hot.

"You don't know who you're talking to," she blurted out. "You can't say things like that to me where I come from."

Something close to a laugh came from Reina's mouth. "Excellent observational skills, _Queen_ Sofie! That's correct. If we were in Belcourt, you would still be sipping cinnamon in your King Size plush bed while your boy toy-" she gasped, covering her mouth, "-sorry, your _bodyguard_ brought you everything you wanted or needed. I would, thank heavens, be in Angeles not needing to deal with your bullsh-"

"Shut up!" screamed Sofie. "Shut up!"

"Look at that, ladies," Reina said cruelly. "In addition to being Queen of Illea, she is also the Queen of Comebacks." She turned and looked Sofie dead in the eye. "'Shut up' is a good one. Creative. I've never heard it before."

There was nothing for Sofie to say. "Why do you hate me so much?" she asked through a tightened throat.

"Me? Hate you?" Reina asked disbelievingly. "You annoy me. You're a stuck up Two that doesn't know how to function when the world doesn't revolve around you. I think you're a dumb airhead that probably couldn't tell me who the first King of Illea was, even though we all learned it in first grade. But I don't hate you. Don't flatter yourself."

Sofie didn't' see anything after that. Her tears formed everything into a blur, a blur that she couldn't discern.

Holding everything but her pride intact, she dashed out of the Women's Room. She prayed that the spat wouldn't spread around the castle, but as she listened to the whispering of the girls, she knew that it wouldn't stay in one place for long.

There was only one person that she really wanted to talk to right now, but she couldn't bring herself to go find him. Not after their argument only...what had it been, five minutes ago? It felt like days.

She ran smack into another girl, bowling the both of them over. Sofie clutched at her head as she sprawled across the floor, her dress splayed around her.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked.

Sofie looked and and saw the girl from Sonage, Sage, sitting up and brushing herself off. Her chocolate brown hair had been pulled up into a bun, her blue eyes staring intently at Sofie. There was wisdom in those eyes, the kind of wisdom only gained from pain.

It was because of this wisdom that Sofie found herself telling Sage everything.

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Hopelessly lost-again. For the fifth time in five days, Ava couldn't seems to find her room. It had been told to her so many times, she was too embarrassed to ask again. So instead she was wandering corridors, hoping to see something familiar. Something that could tell her at all where she was.

For now, it didn't seem like that was going to happen. So Ava decided to try a different strategy. She'd go outside, find the main entrance, and start from there. She was pretty positive she could find her room from the front door.

The only problem was, she didn't know how to get outside. If she could find a window or something, it was likely that she could climb out, perhaps? Oh, she didn't know. She didn't know anymore.

If only she'd never signed up for this Selection. Eli was nice enough, and she loved spending long hours downstairs in the library. But everything else was simply too much. The other girls were mean, the castle was big, everybody was looking at her, all the time.

She wished that her best friend were there. Cela would make everything more bearable. If only she had _someone_ there by her side, she would be happy.

But for now, there was nobody. Nobody for her to talk to. Nobody for her to lean on. Nobody to tell her how to get out of this damned palace.

She turned down an unfamiliar hallway-a move that was risky at best. She'd already wandered carelessly into several rooms she suspected she wasn't supposed to be in. Luckily, nobody had been there to catch her.

Suddenly, the sounds of loud, angry words reached her ears. It sounded suspiciously like the royals. Eli? Why was he talking so loudly.

Against all of her better judgement, she crept closer to the sounds of yelling. It struck her heart each time the voice was raised, the voice she'd come to know and love after years of sitting, mesmerized, in front of the TV. To hear it so angry, so discontent….it hurt her.

"...said that you didn't have an alibi, wouldn't even say anything about the matter! Didn't even defend yourself! And to make matters worse, there was a letter they found sent from your personal address to a friend saying you wanted to stop my Selection? I mean, what is going on here?"

Ava's heart did a soaring leap, skipped five beats, and plummeted back down to the ground. Stella? Princess Stella? Accused of killing maids? It was unfathomable. It was so out of the ordinary, Ava found herself replaying Eli's words over and over in her mind.

"Does that seem like something I would do, Elias? Really?" came Stella's biting reply. "Do you honestly think I would kill the maids? Isn't just, oh I don't know, the _tiniest_ bit out of character? Look inside yourself and ask if you really think I killed three girls."

"Well, I don't know," Eli shouted back. "The evidence Sir Vanceton gave me was pretty substantial."

Stella scoffed. "So now you're trusting Sir Vanceton over me?"

"Unlike you," Eli growled, "Sir Vanceton is obligated to tell the truth when it comes to legal matters. You could lie all you wanted to me and I'd never know the truth."

"Maybe," Stella said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "you could try trusting the girl you've known literally since she was born. The girl that's never lied before, the girl that's proven herself responsible _time_ after _time_ , putting up with all of your crazy ideas and notions that you come up with."

"Reina thought the evidence sounded convincing," Eli said, completely changing subjects. Gears whirred in Ava's brain. Eli had gone to Reina about a matter so serious? Had his disregard for social norms just plummeted down the drain?

She could hear her disbelief echoed in Stella's strained voice. "You went and told a Selected about this situation? You must be even dumber than you look."

"You're being unfair," said Eli, hurt creeping into his voice.

Her voice cold, Stella replied, "Says the one accusing his sister of a triple murder based on foggy evidence. Admit it. You're just trying to get back at me for being so mad at you all the time."

"Well whether that's what I'm doing or not, the laws say that you are to be escorted to the dungeon for the night. Until you are proven innocent."

"Pretty sure its the other way around," Stella said, sounding like she was trying to keep her cool. It wasn't working, though. Ava could hear the panic slipping stealthily into her voice.

"This conversation is over," Eli said coldly. "Guards will be here to escort you to a holding cell within the hour." Ava heard him storm out of her room, and suddenly, her chest was pounding a mile a minute. He was about to find her, and she couldn't go anywhere.

He turned the corner, looking a million years older. "Ava?" he said, his voice weary. "What are you doing here?"

A rush of blood made its way up to Ava's face, and she couldn't resist the blush that spread across her face. "S-sorry," she mumbled, barely able to speak. "I-I-I got lost again."

"This is the fourth time, Ava," grimaced Eli.

"Fifth," Ava corrected in a small voice.

Looking at her with a newfound pity in his eyes, Eli said, "Well, we'd better get you to your room. Don't worry, we'll get you a map or something." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Did….did you hear anything? From my conversation?"

It was a split second decision. "I heard a lot of loud voices," she said. "That's what attracted me. But I didn't hear anything that you said specifically."

His face relaxing into a slightly lower level of stress than it had been, Eli put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go take a walk, then. It's getting late, and you've got a big day tomorrow. You excited for the Report?"

"Not particularly."

"I thought you might not be," Eli laughed. Already, the stress seemed to be leaving him. However, Ava could still feel it in the tenseness of his shoulders.

For the moment, though, she decided not to comment on it. She would see how things turned out.

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 **Phew! It's late, but I am determined to stay true to my uploading schedule! Thanks again for staying dedicated to my story. We're really getting into some juicy stuff. I know a lot of it seems implausible, but keep with me. It's more fun that way ;) For now, it's up to you guys to determine whether or not you think it was Stella. Leave a review telling me what you thought, and who you think did it, whether Stella or just the rebels. Or something else entirely, I don't actually know yet! We'll see how this turns out.**


	24. Chapter 24: Ana and Tricia

Tricia sat in the Women's room, her head propped up on her hands as she stared at the agonizingly slow ticking clock. The only part of the days she actually liked were meals, where she could eat in peace without being forced to do something.

Suddenly, the door was opened, and Sara Blaine walked through. Her short, dark, hair swished around her shoulders as she walked briskly into the room. Tricia's heart sank. It must be time for history lessons.

It wasn't that the history wasn't interesting. It was, to a certain degree. But they were expected to _work_ in that class. To actually write things down and think about things and answer questions. Tricia had been a self motivated learner her whole life. To have deadlines and rules was a new and unpleasant experience.

"Please accompany me to the Classroom, if you would," she said, her disgustingly perky voice penetrating Tricia's awful migraine. "It's time for your history lessons. Today, we'll be covering what is commonly known as the 'Golden Period'."

That vaguely stirred Tricia's memory. She thought she'd read about it somewhere. It had been roughly 100 years ago, back in the reign of King Maxon and Queen America, as well as the first half of Queen Eadlyn's reign.

Reluctantly, she picked up the skirt of her dress and followed the other girls down the hallway. She knew the way well by now.

"Hey, Sara?"

Everybody stopped and turned to face the newcomer. It didn't take long for them to discover who it was. Prince Elias was a relatively recognizable face in the palace. He looked the girls up and down. "Could I please borrow Tricia Beamont for the next hour?"

Tricia's heart pounded against her chest. It was only the 6th day there, and he was already asking her on a date? She hadn't expected to be singled out until at least 2 weeks. After all, who would want to spend time with the freak girl?

But then again….maybe she wasn't the freak girl after all. Gigi Edwards from Waverly had hair as white as snow. Several girls had strange eyes, colorful tattoos, and every tone of skin. Here at the palace, everybody was unique, so nobody was unique. A refreshing though, Tricia realized, if a bit cruel.

She reexamined Eli. Going on a date would probably be work. Keeping up a conversation with him. Posing for the inevitable cameras that would be flashed in their faces. Putting energy into whatever they ended up doing. But….it was much better than the alternative.

"Of course," Sara replied. "Tricia, we'll hold a make up lesson later this afternoon. Looking forward to it!"

"Wish I could say the same," Tricia muttered under her breath as Sara led the rest of the girls away. They looked back at her jealousy, some with murder in their eye. It was a look Tricia knew well after her years of being the odd family out in a neighborhood of perfect 3s.

Before she knew it, Eli had taken her arm and whisking her down an unknown corridor. She stared after him, the look on her face a mix of mild amusement and vague disinterest. She would see how this turned out. Anything was better than being home, or off at Princess lessons.

Finally, he pulled her into a side room, far down in the basement of the castle. Tricia raised an eyebrow at the scene. Paint was splattered everywhere, canvas upon canvas of intricate artwork, soulful paintings that rivaled the best in Illea.

"They're alright," Tricia said, shrugging. "Whose are they?"

"For now, they are yours. You work as a painter, right?."

"Yeah, a little," she said unenthusiastically.

Eli looked her up and down. "You sound really convincing," he said dryly, a smirk on his face. "I love the way you're so passionate about what you do."

That sparked something inside of Tricia. Was she passionate about painting? Maybe a little. Not the way some people were. But Eli didn't need to know that.

She stepped up to a blank canvas, and picked up a paintbrush. It wasn't what she was used to, but it would do. The pallet of paint beside her was set and ready to go, filled with blues, purples, grays, and blacks.

The first touch of her paintbrush to the paper was extremely anticlimactic. She'd expected inspiration to rush to her head, as it did sometimes when she was at home in her own studio. However, she let it rest there, unsure of herself.

She turned back to Eli, "Anything in particular you want me to paint?"

"6 naked girls riding motorcycles," he responded, "with money raining from the sky." After a pointed look from Tricia, he defended, "What, I'm kidding! Do whatever you want, I just want to watch."

Tricia turned back to the canvas and thought hard. What to do, what to do? The colors would be useful for some sort of sunset, maybe a night scene.

Suddenly, it came to her. With renewed vigor, she began to stroke the canvas with her brush, covering it with a layer of dark blue mixed with black. The strokes became smaller and smaller as she focused on the details, getting every last particular correct. Her hand seemed to float across the paper as she created her world, her movement, her characters. Her eyes narrowed as her concentration increased tenfold.

Finally, it was done. Stepping back, she admired her masterpiece: A pair of dancers silhouetted against a purple, blue and orange sky. Not very original, but in Tricia's smug opinion, masterfully done.

"Why did you have me do this?" she asked. "I know it wasn't just because you wanted to watch me paint. That's lame."

"You're lame," Eli shot back automatically.

"Your face is lame," Tricia responded.

"Your mom is lame."

"Ain't that the truth," muttered Tricia.

Eli sighed. "There's been a lot going on lately. Legal matters, dead maids, rebel uprisings. Family issues. I figured I needed something or somebody to help me take my mind off all that." He looked up and smiled. "Thank you for that. Now, we can either go catch a movie, or you can return to the ever interesting history lesson with Sara."

"I do love movies," Tricia said eagerly.

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Ana sat, cleaning up her dinner plate and contentedly listening to Vela describe her thoughts on sexism in Illea. "I mean, male Sixes can go and get most jobs they want, and sometimes even move up in the ranks, you know? But female Sixes find it difficult to even get employed. But then even when they do get jobs, people tend to pay them about 14 cents less per dollar than they pay men in the _exact same position._ "

"I completely agree," she replied. "My dad told me that it's still prevalent even in the higher castes. He was payed more money and treated with more authority than female guards that were equal to him or sometimes even ranked above him."

Vela nodded vigorously. "I started a movement in my hometown about a year ago," she said, "called 14 Cents. It was actually starting to gain some popularity before I joined Lyza on her tour."

"Well if you become queen," Ana said, "you could have an even higher platform than the one you have now."

"If Elias ever asks me out," Vela grumbled. "He took me aside that first day and told me I'd done really well, but he hasn't acted on it yet."

Ana shrugged. "I'm sure he's just busy."

But Vela wasn't looking at her anymore. She was staring behind her, slightly above. "Speak of the devil," she breathed.

Ana turned around and saw Eli smiling down at them. "Good evening, Lady Ana, Lady Vela. I hope you enjoyed dinner."

"We are indeed, your majesty," Vela said, shining her pearly white teeth.

Eli nodded. "Excellent, excellent. I was wondering, could I please have you come with me for a walk, Ana?"

Surprise coursed its way through her body. "Yes, of course," she replied. "As soon as I finish clearing my place I'll be right with you."

"You don't need to do that," he assured. "One of the maids will take care of it."

Mouthing _sorry_ in Vela's direction, Ana stood and tried to ignore the slightly injured look on her friend's face. She didn't want her to feel upset, but the chance to talk to the Prince was just a little too good to pass up.

"I was wondering," he said as they strode out of the main hall. "How good are you at solving mysteries?"

"Well, I'm not too experienced," Ana admitted, "but I like to think that I would be good at it if I tried."

Eli grinned. "Perfect. Please follow me."

 _Not like I have much of a choice,_ Ana thought, but she found herself grinning as she followed Eli. She wasn't quite sure what he had in mind for today, but it was starting to excite. Maybe he was going to confide a secret in her.

They wound their way through the castle until they were up in the highest reaches of one of the towers. Ana looked down through one of the windows, catching a glimpse of the darkened city down below.

"Spiffy view," she said, before remembering she was talking to the Prince. She frowned. "I mean, it's an extraordinary city you have. Really splendid."

"Please, using that sort of language isn't necessary," Eli said, waving a hand. "I can't get to know you if you're talking like a 300 year old historian."

Half smiling, Ana said, "You're a strange sort of Prince, you know that, right? Everybody is saying how lenient you are with the girls. Apparently, Reina shoved a palace official in the chamber pot on the first day and you said nothing?"

Eli winced. "I was reprimanded very strongly for that. I'm still sort of figuring out what's ok and what's not. Hopefully I'll be able to crack down in the future."

"I don't know if the girls would mind if you didn't," Ana offered slyly.

With a laugh, Eli said, "I wish I didn't have to reprimand you guys for anything. But there have actually been a few problems with the lack of rules. Namely, Lady Sofie and her friends getting a pitcher of lemonade on her. Also a crime committed by Lady Reina."

Ana raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you just need to crack down on Reina," she said. "Sounds like she's becoming a bit of a problem."

"I probably should," Eli sighed. "It's just so difficult to say no to her. She gets this look, like puppy dog eyes but 10 times more powerful. Plus I don't want to face her wrath. She'd probably throw orange juice on my head or something." He pulled open a door. "Anyway, this is what I wanted to show you. My family calls it the Mystery Manor. There are hundreds of murders, robberies, kidnappings, etc. that have gone unsolved for hundreds of years."

"And the police just let you have all this information?" Ana asked incredulously.

Eli winked. "We _are_ the royal family," he explained. "There are certain strings that are available for us to pull." He sized Ana up. "You said you were training to become a cop, right?"

"In the fall of next year, yes," she said. "ILEPA accepted me."

"Pretty prestigious," Eli said, nodding his head. "You probably are going to need some practice for those tests and stuff. I don't know. I don't know what goes on at that school. But if you want, I can show you some of these crimes and we can think about them together."

"How romantic," Ana deadpanned. "Are you sure that you're allowed to show me this stuff?"

"Not all of it," Eli admitted. "But there are some that are old enough that the case has been forgotten and discontinued. Some of them are actually pretty interesting. I bet you'd get a kick out of them."

Ana shrugged. "Let's go, then."

"Let's go."

They started with a 400 year old case concerning an embezzlement. Ana found herself digging hungrily into the crime, tearing apart every piece of evidence she could find. Eli was minimal help, but Ana couldn't blame him.

In the end, they didn't solve it. But Ana left the date laughing and feeling more at home than she had since she arrived.

It almost made the disappointment in her father's eyes when she'd left worth it.

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 **Alright, we're finally talking to other girls. I got sort of stuck in a Reina rut, but she's just so fun to write about! I want you guys to get to know the other girls as well, though. They have a lot of personality. If it ever gets confusing about which one is in the chapter, I have a list of them on my profile as well as a brief description. Hope you guys enjoy!**


	25. Chapter 25: Eli

The all too familiar scene surrounded Eli's head like a swarm of bees. He'd been doing Reports since he was a baby. The lights, the makeup, everything was commonplace.

But this time was different. This time, a swarm of girls was sitting behind him in addition to his family. A swarm of girls he cared very much about impressing. What if he messed up on TV? He certainly had before. But back then, it had only been his family, the audience, and Starr or her grandfather, Kipling. With his family, they would mock him afterwards, but they would never actually mean anything. The audience didn't really exist to him-they were just a group of people that provided reactions when necessary. The blinding lights in his face made them disappear. And as for Starr and Kipling, they were just the Fadayes. Similar to his family.

But now he could sense the girls staring at him. Feisty, bitter Reina; sweet, caring Ava; beautiful, charismatic Sofie; mystical, wise Lia; mysterious, intriguing Gigi; intelligent, curious Viv; quiet, soft spoken Sage; powerful, accomplished Vela; intuitive, strong Ana; and creative, mature (while slightly unmotivated) Tricia. They crowded his mind, taking up space like water filling a fountain. Should he look back at them? Give them a motivating thumbs up?

He turned around, and there they were. Each getting fussed over by a maid or two. He smiled at their range of reactions, from Reina and Ava's obvious discomfort, to Sofie and Vela's natural confidence. He made eye contact with Vela briefly and gave her a thumbs up. She half smiled back, and returned the thumbs up.

"30 seconds," called the camera guy. Eli turned back around, and smiled at Starr. They hadn't spoken at all since arriving at the studio, which Eli found odd. Usually, Starr was full of life, chattering non stop. Today she was silent, staring at the camera as she waited for the start of the show.

"It's not the same," she said in a small voice.

It was foreign to Eli, and it tugged at his heartstrings. She sounded so weak, unsteady.

"I know, Starr," he said, "I know." He put his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her back. "But this is the start of something new, and it's going to become familiar. You just wait."

She smiled gratefully up at him. "I bet it will. I still need to meet those girls! They seem so nice. A lot of them are really interesting."

"Live in 3...2…" the camera guy waved his hand, and the two of them redirected their attention to the audience. Eli listened to the trumpet theme song play, and settled into his chair. He could do this. He was born to do this.

"Welcome back, Illea," Starr said, her chipper voice lacking its usual spunk. "We're coming to you live from the palace with our first ever Selection Report. We have Prince Elias here, as well as the couple dozen lucky young ladies from the various parts of Illea."

Eli raised a hand. "Hello, Illea! I would like to say now that I've selected my future wife." He felt the tension raise to the highest level possible before adding, "Or at least, narrowed it down to...hm...top 27."

Everybody laughed, and Eli felt his confidence boost. "I have spent this week talking, hanging out, and laughing with all the girls here. They are simply incredible, and I could not be happier with the Selection so far!"

This earned a cheer, and Eli could practically feel the girls glowing behind him. He turned around and winked, then faced the front again.

"On the other hand, I need to address a very serious issue before we continue. As you may notice, my entire family is not present. Our…" he choked, "...beloved sister, Stella, is...detained until further notice. Details concerning this matter will be made public if it is found necessary. If not, this is the last you will hear about it." He let that news settle in before smiling again, albeit a fake, plastic smile.

"But back to the Selection! Starr, take it away."

The Host grinned at him, her eyes filled with support and caring. Eli didn't know where this new girl had come from. Gone was the party girl, impulsive and ignorant. Was it possible that Starr had actually matured? The prospect was unlikely, but intriguing.

"We have a new system, this Selection," Starr announced. "Instead of asking questions willy nilly, we're going to focus on 2 of the Selected. This week, Eli has randomly chosen Vela Elliot and Jasmine Vasquez to be in the spotlight. Ladies, if you will, please join Eli and I at the front."

The crowd cheered wildly as the girls stood from their seats. Eli couldn't help but grimace at Starr's informal use of his name. The media already had enough crazy claims about their relationship. They didn't need any more fuel.

Starr grinned at Jasmine. "Lady Jasmine! How good to see you. I think we've met once or twice before. You're an actress in Columbia, right?"

"Yes, I am," Jasmine said, her voice carrying a lushious Southern Illean accent. "I was born and raised by the famous actors and directors, Marco and Sarah Vasquez."

Nodding, Starr said, "And you, Lady Vela, I feel like a lot of Illea knows your name, now! How is touring with Lyza treating you these days? Coming to the castle probably wasn't too much of a stretch, was it?"

"Well, not after the tour, no," Vela answered politely. "But I was raised in a poorer Five neighborhood in Panama. So compared to that, this place is heaven."

Clearing his throat, Eli said, "We have some questions that we'd like you girls to answer. We're sorry we couldn't tell you about this sooner, but Starr and I only developed this concept an hour ago. Hopefully, you'll be able to think on your feet."

What he didn't tell them was that he hadn't told them what they were doing at the Report on purpose. He wanted to test their reflexes, their adaptability. Just from the looks on their faces, he could tell who would be the more prepared of the two. Jasmine looked abjectly terrified, while Vela sat, her legs crossed, smug smile protruding a knowning confidence.

"If you were to become Queen, what would you use your platform for?" he asked. "Jasmine, you can start, if you like."

The blank, horrified look on the girl's face almost made Eli laugh. "Well-uh," she stammered, "That is an excellent question. I have been offered many platforms in my life. Great platforms. Terrific platforms. I have been so blessed by all the platforms I've been given. As such, I've always managed to make my voice heard. And I think the people really appreciate it. If I become queen, that's what I think would continue to happen."

"Not really the question, but a great answer nonetheless," Eli said, grimacing at Jasmine's slowly reddening cheeks. He tilted his head to look at Vela, who was discreetly cracking her knuckles as if getting ready to beat somebody into the ground. "You look rather prepared, Lady Vela," he said. "If given the platform of Queen, what would you promote? Demolish? Enhance? Create?"

Vela lifted her chin. "I have always been a firm advocate for Women's Rights," she said proudly. "Back in Panama, I started a small organization called 14 Cents, which focused on evening out the pay gap. If I were to become Queen, I would continue that program. It would be a blessing for women across Illea, I think. Do you believe in that cause, Eli?"

He was taken off guard. Vela wasn't supposed to be asking the questions here, was she? And she certainly wasn't supposed to call him that on TV. But the look in her eyes was so intense, her jaw unwavering, he found himself unable to do anything but respond.

"I have a mother, 3 sisters, and many female friends," Eli said, "as well as the lovely ladies that have recently entered the palace. They all have a dear place in my heart, and I would do anything to give them more opportunities in this world. I took a Women's and Gender Studies class about a year ago, which really opened my eyes." He grinned. "I would be honored to have you fight for that cause, whether you become Queen or not."

The light in Vela's eyes as she smiled back at him stirred a familiar feeling in his heart. Invigorating, challenging, lightning quick. That's what this Selection had been so far.

And he was loving every second of it.

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 **Here's the next one! I wanted the Reports to work like this so that I can have a specific girl focused on. It's nice to get to know them a little better like this. I personally love Vela and what she works for. She's SUPER cool, thanks so much to Smiley! Next chapter is almost ready, and will be released tomorrow night. Thanks so much to all of you who are still reading my story, it means SO MUCH to me.**


	26. Chapter 26: Sage and Lia

Sage sat, quietly nodded to Sofie's rambling. Her favorite parts of the day were when she could simply listen. It used to be that she would be the one doing the talking, but since the accident, she'd felt as though she needed to remain quiet for a few years. So she'd become adept at listening, and listen she did as Sofie described the particulars of her date with Eli.

"And after the movie, we walked around the palace grounds for at least half an hour," Sofie gushed. "It was almost as though we were by ourselves. I had Cole stay behind, and the media were too obsessed with some wildfire out down south that burned down Beverly Hills."

Wincing, Sage said, "Don't you have family down there?"

Sofie flipped her perfectly curled hair, and replied, "Well, technically, yes, but they were on vacation in the Western Isles. Their house was damaged, but they'll be able to repair or even replace it."

"Maybe you should donate some money to help those that can't," Sage suggested.

With a snort, Sofie giggled, "Sage, you are so funny." But her laughter trailed off when she looked at the other girl's face and realized she was serious. "Oh. You meant it? Well….I suppose I could, perhaps….yes. That's an excellent idea. The media will be all over it."

Sage's heart sunk. She loved her new friend, but Sofie had a long way to go when it came to the public eye. "Maybe you could donate anonymously," she said, but it came out sounding more like a question than a suggestion.

"Sage, Sage," Sofie said. "I adore you. But if I donated anonymously, how would the people know who to thank?" She made it seem ridiculous, as if it were Sage who was being stupid.

"Ladies," Sara called. Sage and Sofie looked up, then smiled. Sara had taken a shining to their little friendship. Called it the "S Sisters," and included herself in the mix. The three of them had gone out to have a picnic in the garden, along with Cole. Sage found herself growing fonder and fonder of her little group of friends. It had been a while since she had surrounded herself with people that she actually enjoyed the company of. Well, since she'd surrounded herself with people in general.

"I'd like to announce a special challenge," Sara said excitedly. "The Queen has said that all of you will be participating in the care of one child from the visiting politicians today. They will arrive in one hour to participate in the Annual Illean Pollution Committee. All in all, there will be 33 children, so we're asking if any of you would be willing to take on more than one."

"I will," Sage said, before she knew what she was saying. As soon as it registered in her head, she felt her stomach drop. Children? She hadn't talked to a child in months. It would be too much. It would be entirely too much.

Before she could rescind her offer, though, Sara was beaming and saying, "That will definitely be noted, Sofie. Thank you so much."

As others raised their hands and volunteered, Sage couldn't help but grimace at the sense of foreboding that grew in her stomach.

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Their big brown eyes looked up at her inquisitively. There was a tall, lanky 10 year old girl with long chocolate hair and skin that looked like the desert sand. She didn't speak much, but smiled softly at Sage. The littler girl, her sister around the age of 6, chattered endlessly.

"I like your dress, Lady Sage," she giggled, "It looks like a cloud. Except clouds aren't purple, they're white. So maybe it's a grape juice cloud. Do you like grape juice? I drink it every day except sometimes my mommy says I need to stop because I get too much energy."

"You certainly do have a lot of energy," Sage said. "What's your name?"

"My name's Cecilia," the girl said proudly. "And this is my sister Holly. We came from a long way away in Paloma. We got to ride the airplane here, and I ordered some grape juice except they said they didn't have any, so I had to get some apple juice instead. Do you like the Prince?"

The change in conversation startled Sage out of her listening phase. "Hmm?" she asked. "The Prince?" To be honest, she hadn't thought much about the Prince. He was nice, if a bit stuffy. He hadn't really spoken directly to her since their first conversation, though she'd noticed him watching her every once in a while. He'd tried to ask her out right after the Report yesterday, but had gotten cut off by his father.

"He's quite nice," she responded truthfully. "I do like him. Don't know if he likes me, though. He hasn't really talked to me."

"Not talked to you?" came a voice from behind her. Whirling around, she came face to face with Eli's smirking grin. "We'll have to fix that, won't we? Why don't you introduce me to your little charges for starters? We can go to the stable tomorrow. You are a vet, right?"

It took a moment for Sage to respond. "Y-yes," she replied. "I am. And that would be lovely." She turned back to the girls. "This is Holly and Cecilia Morse, the daughters of Lady Christina Morse of Paloma."

Eli bowed low and took the hands of each girls, placing a gentle kiss on their knuckles. "It is my most humble pleasure to make your acquaintances."

They giggled, and clutched at Sage's skirts. "I like him, too, Lady Sage," Cecilia laughed.

"You have quite the way with children," Eli said, standing. "These Ladies seem to have really taken to you. Tell me, do you have any little siblings?"

A wave of panic crashed over her, covering her bodies in a layer of numbness. The images of their broken bodies scattered through her mind, fueling the tears that she thought she had cried out so long ago.

" _Had_ younger siblings," she choked.

Eli's face turned ghostly pale. "I'm sorry," he corrected, frantic to fix his mistake. But it was too late. The damage was done, and now Sage was subject to the humiliation of crying in front of everyone. Just her luck.

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Lia watched Sage start to cry, watched Eli wrap his arms around her. The girls she was watching grabbed her legs and waist as well, their inquisitive faces buried in her dress.

Not wanting to be caught minding others' business, Lia looked away and instead focused on the sleeping baby in her arms. Well, not quite a baby. Jackson was a year and a half, and so far, a perfect angel. Lia assumed it was because he'd fallen asleep as soon as he'd been given to her, but she wasn't complaining.

"Are you any good with kids?" came a voice from behind her. Lia tilted her head to see a red headed girl clutching a squirming toddler, with a raucous six year old acting off behind her.

Shrugging, Lia replied, "I'm pretty good. I have a little brother at home." She eyed the girl. "Do you….want my help?"

"That would be magnificent," the girl said, visibly losing stress. "I took on two because I wanted to impress the Queen and Eli, but they've turned out to be more than I can handle."

Lia laughed, standing up with the baby. "I'll come help you. Why don't we head down to the kitchen and get them a snack." She looked at the girls crowded around Viv's ankles. "Are you guys hungry for a snack?" she asked energetically.

"Yeah!" Came the duet of voices. The two kids hopped eagerly to their feet and chased each other out the door. Viv smiled gratefully, and together, she and Lia followed the kids.

It was a struggle getting the children to listen to their directions, but eventually, all five of them were down in the kitchen, ready to get started. Viv had grabbed a few spare ingredients from the cupboards, and the maids were all in the lower part of the kitchen preparing dinner. Lia pulled down a book and flipped it open.

"You guys want to make Brigadeiro Cake?" Lia asked. "My stepfather makes it sometimes. He spent a year and a half down in Brazil about 10 years ago. It's really good."

The kids (and Viv) nodded enthusiastically.

Lia grinned. "Alright, if we're making Brigadeiro Cake, we have almost everything we need. There's the eggs, butter, cocoa powder, baking powder-"

"You're missing the sweetened condensed milk," came a kindly voice from behind them. Viv and Lia, turned, faces white, to face the familiar sounding intruder. Queen Georgianna was standing in the entrance her petite frame seeming to take up the entire space. There was no getting out of this one. "Dahlia Ramirez and Viviana Ebony."

"Your majesty," Lia said, stepping up to her smoothly. "We were actually just about to come find you and ask your permissio-"

"No you weren't," Georgianna sighed.

"No we weren't," Viv agreed. When Lia shot her a look, Viv just shrugged defensively.

"You girls aren't going to be baking your cake," the Queen ordered. For a moment, Viv and Lia shrank, and the kids began to pout.

"Not without my help, anyway."

As they pushed the cake into the oven, Queen Georgianna smiled. "Thanks to both of you," she said. "It's been awhile since my daughters have done something like this with me. And longer still since I've had such fun young friends to play with," she finished, ruffling one of the little girls' hair.

"What was Eli like when he was younger?" Viv asked, her expression faraway. Like she was hopelessly lost in a train of thought.

"Very similar to what he's like now," the Queen admitted. "He's always been able to cheer up a room with just a few sentences. When he was around 12 years old, he was invited to his first real sort of meeting. It was a heavy subject, all the stuffy old officials were talking about the death of the Treasurer, the late Mr. Barry Dunder. And at the last second of the meeting, Eli whispered to me, "Looks like he's _Barry Dunder the ground_ now." Except he doesn't really have a quiet voice, as you've probably come to tell. The officials didn't find it funny, but King Hanson and I were laughing for weeks," she recalled, her expression wistful.

Lia laughed, and was about to ask another question, when a palace guard slammed the door open. His eyes widened when he caught sight of the group. "Just my luck," he muttered, "The Queen _and_ two Selected?"

"What can we help you with?" the Queen asked, her forehead creasing.

The guard gestured for them to come with him. "A threatening note has been found in one of the Selected's rooms, and we have reason to believe that there is an intruder in the building."

He didn't need to say another word. Georgianna took one girl's hand, Viv took the other, and Lia cradled the baby in her arms. They filed quickly through the door, and let the guard take them down the hall.

"What's happening?" asked the little girl clutching Viv's hand. She was only a couple of years old, 4 at the most. Her curly brown hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, allowing her big blue eyes to gaze up at Lia intensely.

"We're going to go and...hide away for a little bit. There was an accident and we don't want to get hurt," Viv explained.

The little girl pondered this, then exclaimed, "Like in hide and seek?"

Despite the situation, Lia let out a brief chuckle. "Sort of," she admitted. "And in this game, we don't want to get found. So you guys have to be very quiet."

Finally, they filed into the safe room, not much larger than a closet. The guard nodded and saluted at the Queen before ducking out and shutting the door closed. Then the 6 of them were left in the dark solitude that consumed the room as well as their minds.

The baby in her arms started to fuss, and Lia pulled her closer to her chest. She remembered being scared of the dark when she was younger. The ocean had chased that fear away, but there was no ocean here to calm the child. Just a dark chamber, the sounds of footsteps, and 3 scared women.

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 **This author's note is going to be a bit rushed bc I have to go to a Christmas party, but thanks for reading, this storyline will be followed up in the next chapter with some angst from Eli, and please leave a review, follow and favorite, dOnT fOrGeT tO sUbScRiBe To My ChAnNeL. Just kidding, I'll see y'all on Wednesday!**

 **EDIT: I realize that I accidentally called Sage "Sofie" at one point. That has been fixed!**


	27. Chapter 27: Eli

"Lady Sofie, can you please tell me everything you remember about the situation?" asked Eli, pacing back and forth across the room. A pounding migraine was spreading its way across his head as he considered what had happened.

In a small, delicate voice, the girl said, "I was coming upstairs with Maxwell, the little boy I was watching today. As I walked down the hallway, I heard a sort of scratching noise coming from inside of my room. Right before I walked in, a man dressed all in black dashed out. I only caught glimpse of his eyes for a second, but I could tell that they were a dark brown. Looked like pits. On his back was the 'S' that's been at every crime scene so far." She paused to take a breath, and it looked like she might pass out. Eli took her by the arm and led her over to her bed.

She wheezed, "I walked inside, and, well…" She gestured to the wall across from them, the wall that was usually an expanse of plain white. Now, however, it was marred with the words, "Dead girls do no damage." They were carved deeply into the wall, with a bloody red paint smeared across them.

Standing, Eli said, "Don't worry, Sofie, we'll move you to a new room. We'll figure out who's behind all of this and throw them in shackles for a long, long time." He pulled her into an embrace, and felt her heaving chest throbbing against him.

Something wasn't making sense, though. Why would the attacker carve, "Dead girls do no damage" on the wall, then fail to actually produce a dead girl? It seemed sloppy. Out of character for the man that had managed to kill the Queen of France, the Princess of France, and 3 palace maids.

His work in this part of the castle was done. Sofie was comforted, or at least, as comforted as she could possibly be considering the circumstances. With a reassuring squeeze, he let her go and stalked out of her room.

A welcome face was waiting for him on the other side. Stanley smiled softly at the Prince, a solemn grin that offered support.

"Every entrance is locked and guarded, correct?" he asked. In addition to being his manservant, Stanley helped out a lot around the castle.

With a succinct nod, Stanley asked, "Is there anything you want me to tell Sargeant Eiers?"

"Yes," Eli said. "Tell him that the guards are to search every inch of this place, leaving nothing unturned. Tell him they're looking for a man in all black, with an S on his back. If they locate him, they are to bring him directly to the prison, without harming him unless necessary. There's a good chance he's the one behind all of this."

With a salute, Stanley turned around and walked off down the hallway. Eli felt a rush of warmth amidst the dire situation.

"Do you know what this means?"

Eli spun around, the voice shocking him. "Ana," he panted. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in a safe room? With the child you're watching?"

"Sofie didn't have hers," Ana objected.

"Maxwell was returned to his parents as soon as an intruder was found in the castle," Eli said, raising an eyebrow. "Especially since he came within a few feet of said intruder. What did you do with your child?"

She shrugged. "His parents came by and picked him up. We were outside, so the safe room announcement hadn't quite reached us yet." Before Eli could respond, she was on a new subject. "But enough about that. I wanted to help you. With the investigation."

Eli narrowed his eyes. "There isn't really going to be an investigation. We're going to apprehend the suspect, put him in prison, and that will be that. Thank you for the offer, though."

But Ana wasn't giving up. "You know that it doesn't make sense. If he was the killer, why is your sister sitting in the dungeon?" At Eli's surprised expression, she said, "Yeah, I know about that. Word gets around at the castle. Also, I couldn't help but listen in on what you were talking to Sofie about. The message on the wall? It doesn't make any sense. I knew you knew it too."

"You're not supposed to have any of this information," Eli said angrily. "And if you keep talking, I'm going to have to send you home. Now, please, go to your room and stay there."

"How long until another person gets killed?" Ana asked, pleading in her voice. "How long until one of _us_ gets killed? You think that it's bad for you, and it is, but think about how it is for us? There is a killer loose, and from the looks of it, he's targeting young girls in order to stop the Selection. Now, which young girls could possibly be killed in order to accomplish that goal?"

The words sunk into Eli's heart, but he contorted his face to remain still. Passive. The war in his head was vicious and equally balanced.

"Now, if you want to send me home, send me home," Ana said quietly. "I'm sick of living with this fear, and I'm either going to do something about it or leave. Up to you."

He shouldn't make this decision. He knew he shouldn't. It went against everything he knew to be right. Sargeant Eiers would be furious. His parents would be furious. Sir Vanceton would be furious. It was irresponsible, immature, and furthermore, illegal. Probably. He wasn't sure.

But then again….he knew Ana was right. About everything. The killer wouldn't be satisfied until the Selection was off. This meant the girls were in danger. He didn't want to call off the Selection. Not yet. The case might officially end when the man who carved the words in the wall was caught, but the mystery would continue. What did the words mean? Did 'S' truly mean Southern Rebels? Who was truly behind all of this?

He had to do it.

"Alright," he conceded glumly.

Her eyes lit up. "Meet me in the library tomorrow at 10 PM," she commanded. "We're going to figure this out."

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He pushed the door open, afraid of what he might find. When he'd agreed to let Ana help him, he'd prayed that she wouldn't make a big deal out of things. A quiet, low key session like their date would be fine. A full scale crime investigation would not.

However, when he opened the door, he saw a sight that made his stomach drop.

It wasn't just Ana that greeted him. Vela was seated next to her, arms crossed. Lia and Viv stood near them, with Reina slouched in another chair. Ava sat nervously, next to a decidedly bored looking Tricia. All of them watching Eli with an apprehensive gaze.

"H-hello, ladies," he stammered, glaring at Ana. She glared defiantly back. "I wasn't expecting to see so many of you here tonight."

"Ana decided you needed our help," Vela said matter of factly. "And frankly, you kind of do."

"Lia's so wise, it would be hard to pass up her assistance," Viv said.

Lia added, "And Viv's an intellectual. There's no way you're solving this without her."

"Reina, no matter how obnoxious, is good at getting information. We need her," Ana said. Reina snorted, looking as though she'd been dragged down to the library.

"I've got the artist's perspective, I guess," added Tricia. "I'll reevaluate stale pieces of information and find new leeway."

"I can make you guys some hot chocolate, if you want," Ava said, blushing.

They all looked at him, eyebrows raised, in an expectant silence.

It took a moment for Eli to respond. Conflicting emotions swirled throughout his head like fish in the sea. How was he supposed to process this? Should he go through with it? Was it wise? Probably not.

"Sounds good," he said.

The girls let out sighs of relief, triumph, and excitement, even Tricia and Reina. Ana brought out a giant folder similar to the ones in the Mystery Manor. The only difference was, there were no papers to fill it with.

"We're going to fill this with stuff," Ana promised. "But step one in this investigation is talking to Princess Stella Olivia Schreave."

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 **Oh my goodness, I am so excited about this new development! All the girls working together to help Eli solve this mystery. Again, I know it might seem unlikely or unrealistic, but I think it's going to be so fun to write about! Each girl is going to bring so much to the table, including Ava's incredible hot chocolate making skills. I have a feeling she's going to come in handy, though. Also! If your girl was not a part of this little investigation squad, don't worry! I have exciting plot lines for Gigi, Sage, and Sofie. Thanks to everybody who reviewed, followed or favorited! Your support is everything :)**


	28. Chapter 28: Sofie and Reina

Sofie had been doing thing after thing all morning, keeping her mind as occupied as possible. First, she had decorated her room a little bit, adding flowers here and there, sprucing up the beds. Then she'd moved to breakfast, and stayed a little extra talking with Sage. After that, the two of them had gone to the stables and groomed a few of the horses.

There was only one thing left for Sofie to do-check in with Starr about the makeup company. The Fadayes had owned Millennium, the hottest brand in Illea, for decades. They sold clothes, makeup, skincare supplies, hair products, anything beauty related. Starr had mentioned something to Sofie about signing on as one of their models, and she was glad to accept. Cascade, her current job, was a good company, but to model for Millennium….that was unthinkable.

It wasn't that Sofie was a huge fan of Starr. Quite the opposite, in fact. Sofie found Starr to be a phony, attention grabbing, unprofessional bimbo who would've slept her way up the social ladder if she hadn't been born at the top. It was cruel, and perhaps a little hypocritical, but it was true.

She was almost to Starr's room, when something crossed her mind. She'd forgotten her lucky pen in her room! The silver fountain pen that had attached her to Cascade, that had gotten her into this whole Selection in the first place. It was stupid, but Sofie wouldn't think of the contract as binding unless she signed in that pen.

So she turned around and backtracked to her room. Tedious, but then again, one more thing to keep her mind off of happened yesterday.

She was starting to enjoy palace life. It was a small step up from her own home, but a step nonetheless. She thought that things were going quite well between her and the Prince, quite well indeed. In fact, at this rate, she wouldn't have been surprised if she got chosen for the Elite.

Arriving at her room, she pulled open the door and walked inside. Then she let out a soft screech of shock.

There was a girl, stripped down to only a bra and some underpants, splayed suggestively across Cole, who was sitting in the armchair. Their mouths were locked together, and their hands were….in questionable places. There were clothes on the ground, discarded in heaps.

"What is going on here?" Sofie squeaked, standing stock still. Her jaw quivered with rage and disbelief.

Immediately, the girl jumped off of Cole and staggered to cover herself with a dress laying behind the chair. Sofie didn't recognize the dress, so she figured it must have been the girl's before she'd stripped down.

Then she looked up, and through her luscious blond hair, Sofie could see a familiar face. It was Starr Fadaye. The very person Sofie had been looking for.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Sofie," Starr said, trying to keep her air of respectability, and failing miserably. "We were just coming back from….my room. I was just saying goodbye when we got a little carried away. That's all."

Sofie nodded succinctly. "Thank you for telling me the truth, Starr. Now, please dress yourself and return to your room. I will be there momentarily to discuss the contract with Millennium," she said coldly.

Anxiety melting away, Starr pulled her dress on, slipped into her high heels, and slipped out the doorway, not before throwing Cole a sultry look that Sofie wished she could unsee.

Once they were alone in the room, Sofie spun to see Cole, looking defeated, collapsed into the chair. His eyes were full of regret, but not so much regret that Sofie was utterly convinced.

"Let me get this straight," she breathed, her words filled with venom, "You and Starr Fadaye….you know….in her room. Which is fine, _absolutely_ fine. But then _both of you_ came to my room? Why?" She shook her head. "Nevermind, it's not important. But as she was saying goodbye to you, both of your impulse controls just went down the drain. And that's when you started with whatever that was." She wrung her hands out, stress creeping down from her brain and into her whole body.

"Yes," Cole said simply. He wouldn't meet her gaze.

She threw her hands up in disbelief. "I can't believe you. I simply cannot believe you and your incredible lack of ability to make good decisions. How could you? How could you have possibly thought that this was, in any way a good idea."

"Are you mad that I had sex with Starr?" Cole asked, started to look a little angry. "Because I am allowed to be in a relationship with whoever I want. I'm allowed to do things with whomever I want. Right?"

Taken aback, Sofie groaned, "Obviously you are. That's not what I'm mad about though. I'm mad that you took her back to _my room_ and started aggressively making out with her! Next time keep it in her room."

But was that really what she was mad about? Perhaps not, but she wasn't going to even consider that right now. Not with everything that was happening.

"I'm not always going to be here at your beck and call," Cole growled.

"Yes you are," Sofie said, done with the conversation. "Because that is your job. You're my bodyguard, remember? There may be certain privileges I allow you to enjoy, but if you abuse them, there will be consequences. Understood?"

"Yes, Queen Sofie," Cole hissed, using Reina's nasty nickname.

Sofie didn't trust the tears that were welling behind her eyes not to spill over onto her cheeks. So instead, she let out a choked, "Good," and picked up her golden pen off of the desk. She turned and stalked into the hallway without another word.

Mind turning, heart pounding, she tried to find her way to Starr's room again. Was it this way? Perhaps the other direction? She didn't know, she felt faint. Muscles started to freeze up, her vision was blurry. Where was she trying to go again? Tripping over her own foot, she crumpled slowly to the ground.

It was pathetic. Laying alone in a hallway and crying. Stupid Sofie, worthless Sofie, pathetic Sofie. Can't even solve your own problems without Cole.

The last thing she saw was the empty expanse of ceiling, with not a single person to be found. She was alone, defenseless, and utterly exhausted. And the one person she wanted with her would never be there for her like that again.

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The invisible wire was strung, stretching from one side of the Women's Room door to the other. Right now, there was a 'Special Two Meeting' going on, as Sofie was calling it, and Reina figured it was the perfect time to strike. But she had to be patient. Special Two Meetings could last anywhere from five minutes to an hour and a half. So far, she'd been waiting outside the door for what seemed like forever, but was probably closer to 20 minutes.

Suddenly, the door flung open. Sofie stood there, her makeup smudged as though she'd been crying. She looked truly miserable. For a moment, Reina reconsidered her trick. Perhaps it was a little to mean.

But then Sofie took a step, and there was no turning back. The girl tumbled over the wire and crashed to the ground-hard. The expression on her face was enough to make Reina forget about whatever inhibitions she'd had.

One by one, the girls filed out of the room, desperate to see what the commotion was. And one by one, they ended up in a sprawling heap on the floor.

"Like Lemmings," Reina whispered gleefully to herself. It had recently come to her attention that Twos were generally not the brightest people in the world. But that was OK. It just made Reina's time at the palace more enjoyable.

The last four people out of the room were Vela, Ana, Princess Brinley, and Princess Brooklyn. They easily avoided the tripwire, and walked across the hall to talk to Reina.

"Not cool, Reina," Vela said with a sigh. "I mean, it was kind of funny, but Sofie's been going through a lot. This isn't going to help."

She, Ana, and Brinley turned around and went to help console Sofie, who had burst into a fresh wave of tears on the ground. Reina watched them help her to her feet, and lead her around the corner. Before they disappeared, Sofie shot back a murderous glance in Reina's direction. It caught her off guard, and even unsettled her a little bit. Sofie, however dumb, was perhaps not somebody to be trifled with.

"That was a horrendous thing to do," Brooklyn said sternly. "And behavior like that is not tolerated in our palace. I know Eli's been extremely slack with you, but there is a line. And you passed it a long time ago."

"Was it at least funny?" Reina asked tentatively.

"It was hilarious," Brooklyn replied angrily. "It was the funniest thing I've seen all week. But that doesn't change anything. Now go find Eli, tell him what you did, and tell him he needs to punish you."

"I tell him that already," Reina said with a wink.

With a disgusted wave of her hand, Brooklyn dismissed Reina and started walked down the hall. But Reina caught a glimpse of the smile on her face, and felt a glow of satisfied. She, in turn, skipped down the other way.

It took a bit of searching to finally find Eli, but she figured it out. He was on the lower level, heading towards the Dining Hall, probably to help start preparations for dinner. Wait, no. There was something else in that direction: a set of stairs that led to the basement, in other words, the dungeon.

Reina jogged at a brisk pace down the hallway, her dark gray dress flowing out behind her. "Hey, Eli," she called to the Prince walking in front of her.

"What's up, stormcloud?" he said in response, coming to a halt.

Flipping her hair over a shoulder, Reina said, "Take me with you to talk to Stella."

"Absolutely not," Eli said decisively, resuming to his former brisk pace.

But Reina wasn't done needling. "Come on, please?" she whined. "You know that I would be useful. I'm really good at getting information."

"It's a firm no," Eli reassured. "By the way, is there something else you're supposed to tell me? You're making that face. The one where you're hiding something. What have you done this time?"

With a dramatic sigh, Reina said, "Brooklyn sent me to find you so that I could tell you that while Sofie and the other Twos were having a meeting in the Women's Room, I hung up tripwire and watched them fall over each other. It was really funny, but a little mean. I'll admit it."

Eli watched her with a disappointed gaze. Reina felt her heart drop. It was a look she knew well, a look her mother would give her when she was acting up. Its intended effect was for Reina to feel guilt instead of her mother's wrath, and it worked every time. And apparently it wasn't just a tactic her mother used.

"You know I can't let this slide," Eli said. "I've been far too lenient with you, and it's time that I step up and take control. How can I lead an entire country if I can't even discipline one girl?"

While Reina knew that she had it coming, there was something inside of her that had wanted Eli to let her continue on with what she was doing. It was so much more fun that way.

"I don't understand why you can't just be happy around the upper caste girls. Have they ever done anything to you? I mean, really? They're just as innocent as you are, perhaps even more so after your shenanigans around the castle lately," Eli said, running a stressed hand through his hair.

That did it. That popped the cork off of Reina's bottle. "They're a bunch of ignorant prissies," she seethed, "that think they're better than everybody else just because they were born into a family with power. Upper castes are blind, they can't see anything. All of them are just the same, can't even accept when something is their fault. Sixes are not even people to them. Do you even understand that? They don't see me as a person, they see me as an expendable object. Every last one of them. And forgive me if I don't want to spend my time making life even more enjoyable for those bimbos."

When she was done, run out of fire, she looked up at Eli. His face was stone cold. "In case you happen to forget," he stated, his voice icey, "my entire family is made up of those 'ignorant prissies,' as you so elegantly put it. Glad to see what your true feelings are towards us. Tonight, you will help to cook dinner. Then, instead of eating with the girls, you will serve the Twos you harmed today, then eat with the maids. That is all."

He walked away briskly, and Reina stared after him, dejected. Her mind was spinning, her heart was reeling, and she wanted to go to bed. She slowly, ever so slowly, began the walk towards the kitchen.

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 **Wow! There sure was a lot of** ** _angst_** **in this chapter! I feel simply awful for Sofie, hopefully she has some good things happen to her in the future. At this point she deserves it. In the next chapter, Eli heads down to talk to Stella, which I am so pumped about. There are going to be some headway in the mystery, but also a lot of dead ends. I think you guys will like it! Thanks to everybody who leaves a review, hearing what you guys think is super helpful for me. Also, I'm so pumped for winter break! This is going to make writing a lot easier. See you guys tomorrow night!**


	29. Chapter 29: Eli

" _Where are we going, Daddy?" Eli asked, his tiny hand grasped in his father's large, calloused hand._

 _King Hanson's face was grim. It was a little bit before he spoke. "Do you remember how one day, you're going to be the King? Like me?"_

" _Yes," Eli replied._

" _Well, a King has to know every part of his castle. We've already explored the upper towers, the 2nd floor, the Great Room, the Dining Hall, and the kitchen. Now there's somewhere else that you have to learn about. And it may be a little bit scary at first. But I think that you're old enough to learn about it."_

" _What is it?" Eli asked, his eyes widening._

 _Sighing, his father produced a key from his pocket. It was rusty and gold, the perfect match to the lock of the door in front of them. He inserted the key, and twisted it with an ominous click. The sturdy wooden door creaked open, revealing a set of cold, moist, stone stairs that led down into pitch darkness._

" _Welcome to the dungeon."_

All these years later, Eli didn't like the dungeon any more. He'd only been down there a couple times since his first expedition and had hated every second of it. The first time, he'd had to interrogate a suspected robber from Angeles City, a poor chap who'd turned out to be innocent. The second time, he had been searching for a child who had gone missing.

Never, not in his wildest dreams, had he thought he would go down for a reason as preposterous as the one he was now. His little sister, placed in the dungeon for the suspected murdering of 5 people. Even now it seemed implausible, yet he couldn't deny the evidence that had been placed in front of him.

Three guards flanked him as he descended the steps. Each sound bounced out of proportion against the moist walls, beaded with musty balls of condensation. Eli flinched in disgust as he caught sight of a particularly rotten section that was crawling with insects.

"They _are_ keeping her in 4S, correct?" he asked one of the guards.

"Indeed, your majesty," the guard replied. "Would you like me to lead the way? Or do you know where to go?"

"Please," Eli invited, gesturing ahead of him. The guard hesitated for a second, surely grappling with whether or not to take lead from the Prince, even if it had been requested. His eyes flickered in the dim torch light, and slowly, he took a step forward.

"I'm sorry for what you're about to see, your majesty," he said softly.

Dread welled in Eli's chest. What was he talking about? Was she hurt in any way? Had something happened to her during her stay there? If she was in pain, if she was suffering more than necessary, heads would roll. Eli would see to that.

He and the three guards walked in silence. Their footsteps echoed hauntingly through the corridor, and Eli couldn't help but feel that he was headed towards a disaster. Chaos. The end of a rope. The thought chilled him more than the cold dungeon air, and he rubbed one hand against his face anxiously.

They turned down a hallway marked with a rusted iron number. Though it was deteriorated beyond fixing, Eli could make out what used to be the figure of a 4. If it was possible, the darkness became deeper, and Eli could barely see past the torch of the guard in front of him.

"Hey there, yer majesty," came a raspy voice from beside him.

Another sounded from across the hall. "Looking good, pretty prince."

Chuckling, somebody asked, "To what do we owe this delightful visit?" Murmurs of amusement traveled throughout the hall as prisoners came to their door to see the commotion.

"Ignore them," one of the guards said. "They do this every time. They can't hurt you, and they don't have anything interesting to tell you. Just keep walking."

So Eli did, passing cell after cell until they reached a door at the end of the hall. Above it hung a little wooden sign reading '4S.' Chills raced up and down Eli's spine as he clutched the handle. Slowly, he slid the key in and turned the lock.

The view that awaited him was too much to bare. He had to slam his eyes shut as soon as he took a single glimpse. Not right. What he had seen was not right.

Stella was there, sitting in the middle of the floor. She was wearing a raggy brown tunic, shredded and filthy from years of wear. Her hair was in a knot. Nothing would be able to untangle that. Never in a million years. It hung half heartedly down her back, limp and lacking considerable volume. Dirt clung to her skin, infesting her face and feet and hands.

But what concerned Eli most was her position. She was curled in a ball, gripping her knees like her life depended on it. Rocking back and forward, back and forward. A wild look was present in her eyes as she looked up at her brother.

"Big brother's finally come to play with his baby sister," she mumbled, mostly to herself. "Maybe he wants something, maybe he wants something. That's the only reason he comes to me. That's right."

"She's off her rocker," Eli breathed. He turned and glared at the guards. "You've had my sister down here a week and she's already gone insane?"

Stella laughed gleefully. "Completely mad," she chortled. "There goes the precious, perfect little princess. How are mommy and daddy going to explain this to the people? What are they going to say that could keep their reputation clear? Oh, they'll think of something."

Unimaginable pain burst in Eli's forehead as he watched his sister. This was his fault, he'd been the one to make the arrest. Sir Vanceton had encouraged it, yes, but Eli had gone through with it. Now he was paying the price.

"Stella," he said hesitantly. "There was another attack a few days ago. Nobody was killed. But there was a threat. A threat and a man. You haven't talked to anybody recently, have you? We interrogated him, and he said that his employer asked him to threaten one of our girls the day before. You were down here. You didn't talk to anybody that day, did you?"

"Of course I did," Stella said. Eli glanced at her in dismay, but he caught a wink on her face. "I was the one who told him to harass Lady...Sofie was it?"

The words cut through Eli's chest, but he could see it displayed all over Stella's face that she was innocent. That she didn't mean a word she was saying. Something was holding her back. There was something she wasn't telling him.

"Stel, this is your chance at freedom," Eli pleaded. "Do you want me to apologize? Because I will. I'm sorry I've been neglectful and that I accused you of murder. Will you please give me an alibi so I can get you out of here?"

"I will not."

Eli slammed a fist against the wall. "Why are you doing this, Stella?" he screamed. "I know you didn't kill those girls. So why won't you just tell the truth and set yourself free?"

For the first time since Eli had seen her that day, Sella's eyes cleared up a little. She looked at him thoughtfully, pain clouding the rest of her face. "I can't tell you," she replied in a hoarse whisper. "They'll kill you. They'll kill you. They'll kill you!"

"Get me out of here," Eli muttered.

The four of them backed out of the room, one of the guards slamming the door. Eli placed the key in the keyhole and slid the lock shut. In that moment, he let out a breath of relief he didn't know he'd been holding.

"What do they do down here that caused her to be like that? Who made my sister go mad?" Eli asked, his voice steely and frigid.

"It's a law that murder suspects are subject to one hour of torture per day in order to get them to confess. Oftentimes, it does drive a person to insanity within a week," one of the guards responded apologetically.

"That stops right now," Eli commanded. "Stella confessed, anyway."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Eli's mind a blur. Nothing fit together, nothing seemed to make sense anymore. What was he going to do?

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 **Hello, my friends, if you're reading this you know that I most certainly did not keep to my updating schedule. Turns out Winter Breaks are really good for binge watching Netflix (Riverdale for life) and going to Christmas parties, not so good for writing and updating. But now I'll be back on my regular schedule. Maybe. I still have the next four days off of school. But after that it'll be regular. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed crazy Stella and her increasingly frustrated brother! The plot thickens...**


	30. Chapter 30: Ava and Sage

There was tension at dinner that night, spread out as thin as the first dusting of snow. Barely anybody spoke, the only noise the clinking of silverware on plates. Ava glanced around at the faces, making eye contact with Tricia. The girl nodded at Eli, and Ava raised her eyebrows. Tricia wanted her to speak to Eli?

"H-hey," she said shakily, looking wildly around the table at all the girls staring at her. "I heard about what happened with Stella. I-I'm sorry. That must be really difficult for y-"

"So everybody knows about it, then?" Eli asked stonily, staring at his dinner. At his harsh words, the royal family starred up inquisitively. Brooklyn's face was contorted into an expression of worry, which Ava understood. Eli had a reputation. He was known as 'The Golden Prince.' It wasn't often that he lost his smile.

He growled. "Glad to see that my family's difficulties have become the gossip for you...you...intruders," he muttered. Then, he stood, kicked his chair away, and stormed out of the Dining Hall. Immediately, Queen Georgianna was following him, as well as Brooklyn.

"Dinner is dismissed," King Hanson said wearily. Then he, too, followed his son. Brinley, after a moment of hesitation, shoveled a giant bite of the grilled pheasant in her mouth, then ducked out after her father.

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"We have to do _something,_ " Ava said, wringing her hands. "I mean, he's so upset. I just feel so awful for him."

"Did you hear him?" Tricia hissed. She scooted angrily in the cushioned library seat. "Intruders. That's what he thinks of us." The circles under her were enormous, dark and defined. "He's eliminated three girls since the Report last week. It's quite obvious that he doesn't want us at the palace."

Lia put a hand on Tricia's knee. "Don't talk like that, Tricia. Eli is making international news because of his enthusiasm over this thing. Not many Princes would continue their Selection after four murders and a threat. He's just going through a difficult time right now," she comforted. Tricia looked dissatisfied.

Suddenly, Viv lit up. "I know," she said. "We'll take care of his paperwork tonight."

It was brilliant. Every night, Eli complained to anybody who would listen about all the paperwork he had to do. "All I do is make a check or write a few words about some bill," he would say. "It's tedious, repetitive, practically busywork."

"Well, let's go, then," Lia said excitedly. The four of them rose from their seats and dashed out the library door.

They arrived in his office, the light dark inside. "He's not here yet," Viv exclaimed. "We have hours before he usually starts." She pushed the door open gently, and together, they walked into the silent room.

There were two boxes, each filled with stacks of papers. One label read, "Check Off". The other said, "Summarize". If Ava had to guess, she would say that perhaps hundreds of papers resided in each box. It would very realistically take Eli an hour or two to complete. Ava's heart twinged in sympathy. She hadn't realized how much actual work went into being royalty.

"I can do the checking off," Tricia offered hastily.

"Nice try," Lia said, rolling her eyes. "You'll come help us with the summaries when you're done with that."

With only minimal annoyance from Tricia, they got to work. At first, it kept them relatively engaged. The material wasn't the most complicated in the world, and it was fascinating to see what went on in the inner workings of the palace. At least, it was to Ava. She noticed the others start to slow down about ten minutes in.

It took them over half an hour to even start to finish. Ava felt a cramp starting to form in her hand as she wrote, the lines on the bill meshing together as her vision blurred. How did Eli do this every night?

"We're pretty much done," Tricia groaned, leaning back in her seat. "Can we just call it a night now?"

Ava ran a hand through her hair. "You three can go on. I'll stay and finish up these last few. It was my idea to help Eli after all."

There was little protest. Tricia sighed in relief and stalked out through the door. Viv and Lia looked at each other, then smiled gratefully at Ava. "We'll see you tomorrow," Viv said. Then they, too, disappeared out the door.

Ava sat down, and began to scratch once more at the remaining few papers. Tiredness plagued her brain, dragging her eyelids down. _Five more,_ she told herself. _Then I'll stop. I'll go to bed._

She had just begun to summarize the paper beneath her, when the sound of a doorknob twisting caught in her ear. Immediately, her chest began to pound. Blood rushed to her face and ears as she frantically searched for a way out. It was only now occurring to her that maybe Eli wouldn't be happy with the work that she'd done. Did the work simply have to be done, or did he simply have to be the one to do the work? If it was the latter, then Ava was about to be in more trouble than she had ever been.

When Eli walked in, Ava let out a hiss of air. He looked terrible. His hair hung limply, his bangs covering his haunted eyes. It looked as though he'd been through hell and back.

"I don't understand it," he mumbled to himself, not seeing Ava yet. "She couldn't have lost her mind so quickly with the standard information extraction machines they have now. Somebody must have made sure...made sure she couldn't tell me anything. That has to be it. I need to find them. I…" he trailed off as he looked at Ava, standing like a deer in the headlights.

His voice shook. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I-I'm so sorry, Eli, but Tricia, Lia, Viv, and I noticed that you were really upset at dinner and we wanted to do something to help you out, so Viv suggested we come up and do your paperwork," Ava stumbled. Her head spun at the speed of light, she had to get these words out before Eli cut her off. "But I realize that maybe that wasn't the best thing to do. We could have messed something up or something like that. I'm really sorry, I understand if you're going to eliminate me now."

Eli advanced towards her, his brow heavy and expression dark. A ripple of fear rushed up and down Ava's back, and she squeezed her eyes closed. It wasn't often that people were angry at her, she tended to stay under the radar. Needless to say, it was difficult for her to deal with conflict of any sort.

So it was blessed relief when, instead of eliminating her, Eli wrapped his arms around her. She opened her eyes in surprise. It was only a moment until she was hugging him back. They held each other tightly, tighter than Ava had ever been hugged before.

"Thank you," he murmured into her hair. "Thank you so much." He sighed and pulled away, keeping his hands on Ava's shoulders. "I'm sorry for what happened at dinner today. That was cruel to you girls."

"I understand," Ava said quickly, "It's OK."

A small smirk on his face, Eli said, "I really don't deserve you, do I? How did I get so fortunate to have you in my Selection?"

Ava felt heat rushing into her face. "You're lucky to have any of the girls here," she mumbled bashfully. "And we're incredibly lucky to have been Selected."

Smiling down at her, Eli tucked a strand of hair from her face. "I didn't mean what I said earlier," he said sincerely, his eyes drinking her face in. "About you girls being intruders. I'm...I'm so grateful that you're here."

"I'm grateful to be here as well," Ava breathed, staring up into Eli's face. His gaze drifted from her eyes down to her lips, and Ava found herself sucking in a breath. They drifted closer and closer until Ava was sure he could hear her thoughts. Her panicked, frenzied thoughts that yelled at her to run the other way.

But she didn't. And as her lips pressed against Eli's, the thoughts were drowned by the burning flame that started in her heart and spread throughout her entire body. She felt herself melting into Eli's embrace, thanking her lucky stars that the others had quit when they had.

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Sage picked up one of the doughnuts from the tray and took a big bite. She looked up at Sofie, who was sitting across from her. "So," she said, swallowing, "Why did you bring all this food over here? What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Well," Sofie said primly, licking a bit of frosting off of her nail, "you are acquainted with my bodyguard, Cole, yes?"

"We've met," Sage said hesitantly.

"Well, I'm in a bit of a pickle," Sofie confessed. "Early this morning, after our little outing in the stalls, I was headed back to my room. To get my lucky golden pen. To sign a modeling contract with Starr for Millinniu-" she stopped herself. "Nevermind. That doesn't matter. I walked in, and I find Cole half naked, in a _very_ compromising position with none other than Starr Fadaye."

A crease formed in Sage's forehead. "How is this a predicament, exactly?" she asked.

Intaking a breath, Sofie began her tangent. "First of all," she enunciated, "I don't generally enjoy walking in to see intimate moments taking place on my best armchair. Cole made it very clear that they had already...taken care of that sort of business, and that little spectacle was merely a goodbye that got carried away.

"Second of all, we got into a bit of an argument afterwards. I...I don't like it when I fight with Cole." Sofie's face twisted, her expression pained. She reached up and pulled at a piece of her golden blonde hair. "He's my rock, he's the reason that I was able to come to the palace in the first place. I don't know what I would do without him."

Sympathy sprung in Sage's heart. "He does seem to be helpful. Less like a bodyguard, more like an emotional protector."

"Exactly," Sofie gushed. "His father was hired as my father's bodyguard, so we grew up together. Sara and his mom were living over in Angeles. He sort of served as my...how did you phrase it? Emotional protector? Whatever you said, that's what he was unofficially up until he was 17, I was 16. Then his father died, and my father hired him to be my bodyguard. He's grown to be the only person I really trust completely."

"You should try to make up with him," Sage said, putting her hand on Sofie's knee. "You obviously mean just as much to him as he means to you."

"That's the last problem," Sofie sighed. Sage looked up and realized there were tears sparkling in her friend's eyes. "I know that he doesn't care much about me. He loves his job, he loves the money, but he doesn't seem to take much interest in me. He's always made it very clear that he doesn't like me all that much."

Snorting, Sage said, "That's ridiculous, anybody with half a brai-"

"No, Sage, you don't understand," Sofie said cuttingly. "Whenever we're in public, he harshes on me, he criticizes me, he makes it very obvious that...that…"

"That what?"

"That he doesn't love me the way I love him," Sofie burst out. "I know that it's crazy. I know that it's wrong, what with me being in the Selection and all. But I am in love with Cole. And the only time it ever seems that he ever really cares for me is when I'm having my anxiety attacks." She swiped angrily at her eyes. "It's stupid, It's so stupid."

Sage didn't know how to respond for a second. "Is this what you called the 'Special Two Meeting' for after lunch?" At Sofie's sniffling nod, Sage sighed. "What did you tell them?"

"Not everything," Sofie admitted. "I left out the parts about illegally being in love with my bodyguard. But I gave them the gist of it. And they were extremely unhelpful, the little air headed bimbos. They didn't care at all, and they offered me no advice."

Suddenly, something caught Sage's attention. It was a singular brown eye, a swish of black bangs. A sneaking suspicion grew in Sage's mind, and an idea began to sprout.

"I'll be right back," Sage said. "I forgot something in my room." She slipped out of the door, offering a small and supportive smile to Sofie. The girl looked slightly hurt, but she gave a small grin of understanding anyway.

Closing the door behind her, Sage turned and faced a very startled Cole. He barely had time to register her before Sage grabbed his wrist and pulled him down the hallway.

"What did you hear?" She asked intensely.

Gulping, Cole replied honestly, "Everything."

Dread billowed in Sage's stomach. Of course he had. Of course he had been listening. Of course he was going to break Sofie's heart now. Thanks to her.

"I love her, too."

Sage looked up in alarm. "You _what_?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm in love with Sofie," Cole repeated anxiously.

Stuttering, Sage muttered, "B-but, everything she said. You slept with Starr. You're harsh to her in public. You didn't have a problem when she signed up for the Selection."

"I got carried away with Starr. She initiated it, she didn't leave me with much of an option. I don't love her at all, if that's what you're getting at. As for being harsh to Sofie in public, that's...that's _because_ I love her. She's a beautiful, talented person that's bursting with potential. I just want her to be able to live up to that. I wish I didn't have to.

He sighed. "Sofie means everything to me, but I can't let that come in the way of my job. It _killed_ me to help her sign up. I knew Eli would love her. I knew she would go far. I knew I would have to watch all that happen. It's torturous. But it's what she wants, and it's literally my job to give her what she wants. Please. Don't tell her anything I just told you. She needs to see this thing out. After that, we'll see."

"Wow," Sage said, lacking a more in depth reply. She drifted past Cole, her mind trying desperately to place puzzle pieces together. She'd learned more that night than she ever had in school.

Putting on her best plastic smile, Sage returned to the room. "I had it with me all along," she said, pulling a small bottle of perfume from her pocket. "Silly me." As she sat down next to her friend, she did her best to hide the jumbled up thoughts that were crowding her mind. There would be a time to reveal what she knew, but that time wasn't now.

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 **Not to be dramatic but I would literally die for any character in these chapters. First of all, Ava is precious and I love her. Eli is obviously the Best Person on the Planet. Sofie and Sage are best friend goals. Cole is a beautiful human being. He was based off of Cole Sprouse since the beginning, and obviously that means the Sofie looks like Lili Reinhart. So much love for that. And I'm so happy that we finally got to some romance! Both these couples are endgame.**


	31. Chapter 31: Eli

For some reason, Eli felt his hands growing sweaty as he walked towards the room at the end of the hall.

As he patrolled the corridor, he noticed that the slivers of light that should have been underneath the doors had gone dark. Glancing at his watch, he shook his head. Only 15 minutes past midnight. He thought at least a few girls would be awake. He had a sneaking suspicion that the one he was going to see was awake, however. She struck him as a night owl.

The memory of Ava and her kiss had left him breathless the rest of the day. For one so reserved, he had definitely not pegged her to be his first kiss. But there was a connection between them, an undeniable one.

It was long in the future, but Eli found his mind wandering to the Elite. 10 girls. The decision was even more harrowing than the Selection, because this time, it would all be up to him. In a couple months, he would be expected to make the penultimate decision. Ava would make the list for sure, unless she did something drastic. He wanted Reina to come so badly, but unless she cleaned up her act, she was going nowhere. Other names ran through his mind. Ana. Vela. Liselotte. Viv. Taryn. Lia. Flora. Perhaps, perhaps…

He knocked on the door, his hands producing buckets of liquid anxiety. Had he ever been this nervous before? He tried to tell himself that he was fine. This was just a date.

It didn't feel like just a date, though. It felt like a momentous occasion, something he would think about for ages.

The door opened, and he found a pair of amber eyes staring up at him, thick brown mascara accentuating the magical color. Hair that looked like clouds on a summer day drifted behind her as carelessly as a puff of smoke. She wore a long silken nightrobe that on her appeared like a majestic robe.

"Gigi," Eli said with a breathless grin.

She smiled softly. "Hello, Prince Elias," she said, her voice husky. "What brings you to my little corner of the palace this late at night?"

"P-please, just call me Eli," he stammered. "Prince Elias sounds like some stuffy old board member trying to get me to pass a bill about some stupid government nonsense."

To his immense chagrin, Gigi did not even pretend to laugh at his lame attempt at a joke. She simply raised an eyebrow, the ghost of a smile fading. "Very well, _Eli_. I'm guessing you're here for a real reason, not just to get a good look at me in my nightclothes, huh?"

"Of course," Eli rushed. "I was wondering if you'd want to come on a walk with me?"

Gigi didn't answer immediately. Eli felt his heart sink. He'd come here, failed to make her laugh, then weirded her out with his unusual, deluded ideas for a romantic night. A walk at the darkest hour of the day? What was he thinking?

"It's just," he fumbled, "You seem like the type to appreciate that sort of thing. Nighttime stargazing? When nobody's watching, and it's just us? You know, I just sort of feel like-"

To his surprise, she stopped his rambling with a hand on his chest. "That sounds amazing," she said, and when he looked into her beautiful golden eyes, he could tell that she meant it. "Right now?"

"You don't even have to change," Eli permitted with a relieved wink.

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"So what's your story, Gigi?" he asked as they strode out onto one of the many forest paths that criss crossed the palace grounds. "Where did you come from? Why did you enter?"

Immediately, he felt a wall go up. Whatever Gigi would have said was off the table now. Eli cursed himself internally.

"I mean, no pressure or anything," he said hurriedly, trying to fix what he'd broken. "Obviously that's your own business." He sighed, and glanced down at his hands. "I just want to get to know you guys." He kicked at a stone. "I'm so sick and tired of letting whoever this murderer is control my Selection. I want to do things on my terms. I want to do things that happen in a normal Selection. I want to meet and get to know girls that I like. I mean, I want to fall in love. Isn't that what this is all about?"

When Gigi didn't respond right away, Eli sighed. Once again, he'd gone too far. He didn't know why he'd said all that stuff. Maybe he'd just been tired of keeping it to himself. Maybe Gigi had a power over him, as she stared him up and down.

"I was living in Waverly, obviously," came the unexpected sound of her voice. Eli glanced down to see her staring into the dark horizon. Her expression was hard, but determined. "Not a lot of money in the wallet. I worked as a nightclub singer, in fact."

"And your family?" Eli urged, ecstatic at the headway he was making. "What are they like?"

Gigi's face fell.

Eli's heart skipped a beat. The memory of Sage flickered into his mind. Her mother and siblings dead by a car crash. And he'd been insensitive enough to bring it up. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "If something happened to them..."

"No, no," Gigi said coldly. Her voice held tints of bitterness, regret. "Nothing like that." She put a couple of fingers to her temple. "Home life was never amazing. My dad drank, my mom was sick of it. You know the drill. She left when I was pretty young. Took my older brother."

"That's awful," Eli murmured.

Scoffing, Gigi replied, "That's not the half of it. My dad just got worse and worse. I kept waiting for my mom to come back and get me, but she never did. Years later, I found out that she had been kidnapped and shot by my dad's gang. They saw it as some sort of revenge after she abandonned him. I never found out what happened to my brother. For all I know, he's still alive. Hurting somewhere. Like I was."

"Was?" Eli clarified.

"When I was 15," Gigi continued, as if she hadn't heard him, "I left. Struck out on my own. It was the best and the worst decision of my life." Her face was hard, icy. Something was tumultuous beneath the rocky surface. Something painful.

"Then…" Eli prompted.

"Then I eventually found an apartment with a girl my age in a similar situation," she said succintly, brushing her hair out of her face. "Bunny Knowles helped me to get back on my feet. She gets good money, even if her line of work is...somewhat unsavory." She looked up at Eli. "So that's my tragic backstory. Congrats on unlocking it. Now tell me about yourself. What's it like to know you're the most important person in 90% of the rooms you walk into?"

The question caught Eli off guard. "Me?" he laughed. "I may be the Prince, but once the Report cameras go off, once the magazine articles are published, I'm just the guy who lives here at the Palace. You're thinking of my parents. Or their advisors."

"That's not true at all," Gigi reassured with a glance at her nails. "Perhaps you don't add to the inner workings of our government as much as you'd like to, but I can name plenty of young girls that would give anything to be here in my spot with you."

For her cold demeanor, she sure could make Eli's heart blaze. As he regarded her, he felt a slow burn in his chest. Something about those eyes, those molten golden eyes that seemed to carry the weight of the world within their color.

Even after the walk was over, and the sun was beginning to rise on his room, Eli was thinking about Gigi's words. In his heart, he'd known that the semblance that Illea was a perfect country was false. His parents knew it, the citizens knew it, the world knew it. Yet they held up the charade like their lives depended on it. Even when their own people were suffering.

 _What made you decide to tell me all of those things, Gigi?_ Eli had asked as they returned to the castle. _You don't seem like the type to confess all your secrets on the first date._

 _I'm not,_ she had replied, _but I trust you._

Despite those words, Eli knew he had a long way to go before he uncovered the mystery that was Regina Edwards.

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 **What's up my dudes. Gigi is a hoot. What about Eli? Isn't he a snaccc? You know what else is a snaccc? Mozarella stiks. I bet you wish you were eating a mozarella stik. So anyway, my dooods, hope yaaallll have a good day and yeah... Like, comment down below and sUbSCriBe tO My ChAnNeL**

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 **I guess that's what happens when you let the Cruel Pringle write your Author's note. Anyway, I hope you guys are not suffering too badly as you return to school. I know I'm tired. Hopefully, there'll still be the scheduled update on Sunday night though! I'm loving mozerela stiks (that I'm eating with Cruel Pringle), but I'm also loving Gigi and Eli! Leave a review to let me know what you guys liked.**


	32. Chapter 32

"It's already December 22nd." Viv exclaimed, collapsing back onto the chair. "Can you believe that we've been here for over a week? It feels like we got here yesterday."

"Things are moving rather slowly in my opinion," Tricia said, although Lia could see the light in her eyes.

"They had a proverb about 300 years ago," Lia mused, "that went something along the lines of 'Time flies when you're having fun.' Viv's greatly enjoying herself while here at the castle, while Tricia is a decided-pardon my french-party pooper, so…"

Tricia snorted. "Calm down, Lia, it's not like you're any better than I am. All you do is sit down here and read your books. We all get that you're this wise old ocean lady. No need to lord it over the rest of us."

"I never really learned how to socialize," Lia explained, annoyed. "You spend your entire cognitive childhood on a remote beach and explain to me how that works out for you. If I use what you see as pretentious language, it's only because I was never particularly interested in learning the popular lingo or slang."

Tricia stood up. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I am planning on getting to dinner on time tonight. My maids told me they're making a traditional Honduraguan dish, and I am desperate to get my hands on some of that stuff."

"Which dishes are they making?" Lia asked. "Did they mention any particulars?"

"No, not really," replied Tricia. She walked through the library doors without another word, her dark brownish red hair bobbing behind her.

"What's her problem?" Viv snorted.

Lia reached up to flip her hair, only then to remember that it was cut in a pixie now. She lowered her hand slowly. "Perhaps she's simply jealous that I beat her score on the recent examination we recieved on the history of Illea. I got the highest score in class, after all. Not everyone is as knowledgeable as me."

"Tricia's actually really smart," Ava piped up, twisting her hands together. "Sh-she did all of her schooling by herself."

"Whatever you say, Ava," Lia responded, getting to her feet. "I'm going to return to my room to dress myself. No matter how aggravating Tricia can be, she was right about one thing: dinner tonight is bound to be superb. I'll see you two when we're seated."

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As she walked into her room, the smell of salty air hit her nose. She had requested that her maids spritz her room with it twice a day. It reminded her of home, especially as she was trying to fall asleep.

"Lady Dahlia," called one of her maids, Laura. "A letter for you arrived while you were out. It appears to be from a man named "Markus Ramirez." Is he related to you in any way?"

"No," murmured Lia, "I've never heard his name in my life. Are you absolutely positive this letter was meant for me?"

Laura nodded. "Absolutely certain. I'll leave you be if you want to read the letter by yourself. And I assume you'll want your evening dress ready for dinner tonight. We have a very charming number assembled for tonight."

Lia accepted the letter and watched the maid enter the room adjasent to her own. As soon as she was positive she was alone, she tore the seal on the envelope hungrily. There was a sneaking suspicion growing in her brain about who this mysterious letter sender was, and she wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.

She unfolded the crisp white paper. At first glance, it appeared to be just another letter. However, Lia was nearly knocked off her feet as she started to read.

 _My darling daughter Lia,_

Rob? Why was her stepfather sending her a letter?

 _It's been so long, my dear. Too long. It's such a shame that your mother decided she was the one that got to make the decision over who would retain custody over you. We could have had such a good life together. I'm a very successful businessman now. If only you had stayed with me, you could have had anything your heart desired._

Lia's heart skipped a beat. "My...father?" she whispered. She'd never stopped to wonder what had happened to him after she and her mother had essentially ghosted him all those years ago. Rob was her family now. Her little stepbrother was her family. What right did her father have, barging back into her life?

 _I almost couldn't believe my luck when I heard your name announced on the Report last week. I was watching with a group of my assiociates at the top of Angeles tower. I'm currently staying in the penthouse suite of a hotel nearby. Anyway, as soon as that charming Prince Eli read off your name, I whipped my head towards the TV. My associates will account for it. I didn't believe that it was you at first. I told myself that it must be some sort of mistake. But then I took a good look at your picture, and well…_

 _You look just like your mother, Lia. It's hard to believe just how grown up and beautiful you have become. I could just sense your maturity and intelligence from your picture. It's in your eyes. It's in the way you hold your head. I was overcome with emotion for a few minutes._

 _I'm writing to tell you that you might be seeing me quite often in the near future. I'm about to be working quite closely with one of King Hanson's advisers concerning a certain deal my company is working on. Therefore, I will be staying at the palace. If all goes according to plan, we'll be able to spend about an hour together every day. I'm ecstatic to see you, my darling. I sincerely hope that we'll be able to make up for the lost time that your mother stole away from us._

 _Your loving father,_

 _Markus Ramirez_

Lia looked up, her face pale. Her palms were suddenly sweaty, making the paper in her hands damp. Words blurred together, which wasn't helped by the tears pooling in her eyes. Such emotion was welling in her heart, she couldn't concentrate.

"Lady Lia," called Laura, "are you alright? What did the letter say?" She walked back into the room, carrying a gorgeous, flowly, blue dress.

For a few seconds, Lia couldn't respond. She could only stare numbly at her maid. "I...I'm fine," she stammered. It killed her to know Laura was staring at her, judging her. As best she could, she straightened her head. "It doesn't matter. Can I see the dress?"

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"Merry Christmas," called Vela's maid, Ashley, as she hurried out of the room.

"Bye, Ashley," Vela responded with a smile. All the maids had been offered the day off, seeing as it was Christmas. They were either heading to their families, if they were nearby, or else celebrating with the other maids in the lower chambers. Ashley and the other maids of Vela's had offered to stay, but Vela had insisted. She could put on her own dresses for a day.

Vela had never been religious. She wouldn't say she was atheist, but no particular faith had ever called out to her. Plus, once she was on the tour, there wasn't much time for going to church or anything like that.

But she had always loved Christmas. The spirit of the holiday warmed her heart, and she had many fond memories of family dinners, presents, carols, and more. Today, she was spending the holiday with Eli and the other 24 Selected. There was an interesting program in store, and Vela was participating. She slipped into her costume and hurried downstairs.

The Women's room was filled with a beautiful smell. Eggnog, cinnamon, and various Christmas specialties were displayed across a long table on the far right end of the room. The maids had worked tirelessly the day before, and the result was stunning. Wreaths and garlands hung from every window, and a string quartet played fun Christmas tunes.

"Vela!" called Ana. Vela looked up to see her friend walking towards her, carrying a small glass of eggnog in her right hand. She was dressed in an identical costume to Vela's: a green leotard with a small, sequined red skirt. A pair of reindeer antlers adorned her dark hair, which had been let loose from its usual uptight ponytail.

Vela grinned. "You look amazing, girlfriend," she exclaimed.

"Wait until you see Lia and Gigi," Ana gushed. "We were standing over by the eggnog station and Eli was practically drooling. I bet he's going to be thinking about this day for the rest of his life. Luckily Queen Georgianna gave him access to this room for today."

"It wouldn't be a party without Eli," Vela assured. "And this? This is going to be a party."

Their conversation was interrupted by Eli, who tapped on the microphone up front. "Hey everybody," he said with a flustered grin on his face. "I cannot tell you how excited I am that all of you are here with us today. I hope today can be a celebration of giving, friends, family, and most of all, the delicious roast beef our head chef has prepared for us!"

There was a roar of raucous applause before Eli continued. "As all of you know, the Selection hasn't been exactly...normal. These last few weeks, we've really struggled to keep morale high here at the palace. Today is a day to let loose. We have our best guards patrolling this room. Everybody is safe." He raised the glass of sparkling cider in his hands. "To the Selection," he proposed.

"To the Selection," called back the rest of the girls.

Vela shouldered Ana. "We're up next, I think," she whispered. "Go get Lia. I'll find Gigi."

Ana nodded affirmatively and disappeared into the crowd. Vela turned around swiftly, though didn't need to look far. Gigi was standing just a few feet away, her golden eyes fixated on Eli.

Approaching her quietly, Vela tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Hey, you ready?" she asked in a low voice. "I think we're up next."

Gigi nodded. She was wearing a different costume from the rest of them. Instead of a red leotard, she wore a solid green bodysuit. It clung tightly to her arms and legs, leaving not an inch of skin uncovered other than her neck, head and hands. Her snow white hair was pulled up into a short high ponytail.

Right on cue, Eli gestured towards them. "And to kick off our party, we have a very special musical number performed by four of our very own Selected. I'd like to welcome Gigi, Vela, Ana, and Lia to the stage."

A thrill of exhilaration lept into Vela's throat as she climbed the stage stairs with Gigi. It had been too long since she'd performed, almost two weeks. She missed the bright stadiums, the roar of applause, the breathless adrenaline that overtook her when she stepped into the light.

It would be different today. No light show. No screaming. Her closest friends, her dancing partners, would not be by her side.

The music started, and Vela crouched into her opening position. The tense blanket of anticipation hummed throughout the room, and Eli shot her a small wink. Vela raised an eyebrow, but couldn't resist a small smile.

Then they were starting, and the magic came to life.

The steps came so easily to Vela, though she'd been practicing only a few days. The first day Eli asked them, she'd choreographed the whole thing. That night, she'd taught the steps to Lia and Ana. The next couple days, they'd worked it down to a tee, with Gigi stepping in every once and a while to provide her voice.

 _I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,_ Gigi began. _Just like the ones I used to know._

And what a voice it was. As Gigi began to sing, the whole room was silenced. Her husky, raw tune enchanted even Vela, who almost forgot the next few steps.

 _Where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow._

As the three girls moved in exact and succinct rhythm, Vela felt a sense of perfect harmony. It felt right to dance. It felt right to perform alongside the girls. It felt right to hear Gigi's voice bringing them all together.

 _I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,_ she sang, _with every Christmas card I write._

Everybody was entranced. Everybody was fascinated.

 _May your days be merry and bright._

 _And may all your Christmases be white._

The song ended, and for one moment, everything was silent.

Then came the applause, the thunderstorm of clapping. The three dancers came to the front of the stage and put their arms around each other, their chests still panting with the effort. They bowed together, then gestured to Gigi, who curtsied.

A feeling of satisfaction crept over Vela as she saw the icy faced girl crack into a glowing smile.

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 **Okay, this A.N. is going to be kind of long. First of all, I know that not everybody celebrates Christmas. But I think at this point in Illea it's become less about the religious reason and more about the time to be with family and friends and give to each other. The party, while it was Christmas themed, wasn't about religion, or even really the holiday itself. It was just a time to be together, and it happened to take place on Christmas. If anybody has a big problem with it, I'll revise it! Second of all, I relate to Tricia when I say I think the story's moving along at a slow pace. I'm thinking about skipping forward in time to the Elite, because that's when I have a bunch of drama taking place. Let me know what you guys think! If you read this far, THANKS FOR LISTENING lol.**


	33. Chapter 33

Eli had spotted his prey. She was standing on the far side of the room, carrying a glass of sparkling cider, laughing with her friends. Her wild hair was tied up as best as possible, though a few strands fell down to frame her face. She was, Eli thought, one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. But maybe that was just the admiration talking.

He began to make his way over to her, fingering the object he held in his pocket. If this was going to happen, he was going to have to get her by herself.

"Pardon me, ladies," Eli said in what he hoped was a suave voice. "But I just need to say how incredibly charmed I was by the performance. Simply delightful. Brought a sense of fun to this party."

"You can drop the ingenuity, Eli. Tell us how we really were," Vela said, her mouth twisting into a smile.

Holding his hands up, Eli laughed, "It really was great. I had...somewhat low expectations. But I suppose that by now I should have learned never to underestimate you, Vela."

"Well, thank you," Vela said, glancing at her friends, "but it wasn't entirely me. Ana and Lia worked tirelessly to learn the steps and obviously Gigi-"

"Was fantastic," Eli gushed. "I knew you worked as a singer, but I didn't know you could actually _sing._ I could literally listen to your voice all day."

Gigi raised an eyebrow. "You probably will. I've already gotten about three requests from girls to write them a song or sing their favorite song in the Women's Room this next week."

Eli winked. "I won't mind a bit." He looked at Vela. "Hey, could I meet you out in the hall for a few minutes? I promise you it won't be long. There's something rather serious I wanted to tell you."

Her face dropped, and she looked at him with squinched eyes. "Uh...yeah, sure. I guess."

Barely suppressing the grin on his face, he took her by the elbow and led her through the crowded room. There were various looks of envy on the faces of the other girls, but as soon as they caught Vela's disgruntled expression, they looked the other way.

As soon as they were out in the hallway, Vela ripped her arm out of Eli's grip. "So what's this serious conversation we need to have?"

Eli finally succumbed to the laughter. "I'm sorry I worried you," he apologized, "but I didn't want you to attract jealousy. If the other girls thought you were in trouble, they wouldn't be as nasty to you." He rubbed his neck. "And we have some pretty nasty girls here."

"Tell me about it," Vela muttered, but Eli could see the palpable relief that was on her face.

He reached into his pocket, and pulled out the silver chain. It glimmered in the dim hallway light, reflecting off the sparkle in Vela's eyes. A golden flame charm was attached to the bottom, dangling spiritedly.

"Is that…." Vela started skeptically.

"It's for you," Eli said simply. "I was out in Angeles City the other day buying presents for my family, and this necklace just called out to me. It's so you." He reached forward and placed it around her neck. "Vela Elliot," he said, "if there's one thing that I've learned about you, it's that you are a force to be reckonded with. You're powerful. You're opinionated. You're talented." He swallowed. "But you're also gentle. And warm. And you make me feel warm when I'm around you."

He shook his head and clipped the back of the necklace together. Vela was looking at him in unmasked affection, her eyes unusually soft.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled, "I'm usually so good with words, but since all you girls came to the castle, I suddenly can't speak."

"Don't worry about it," Vela said. She glanced up. "Looks like you owe me a kiss," she remarked, gesturing at the mistletoe hanging above them. A hungry gleam appeared in her eyes, and then she was kissing Eli, passionately, full of the fire he knew was within her.

A muffled squeal came from the doorway. Eli and Vela broke apart, and stared at the direction of the door.

"So sorry," squeaked a flustered Ava, her face flushed and lips quivering. "So sorry, I was just checking to s-s-see if something was wrong. Um, I guess I'll be going, please carry on. So sorry."

She slammed the door shut behind her, and Eli winced. Right now, there were more present issues to confront, but he would talk to her later. Sending a wry smile at Vela, he leaned forward again.

"Eli."

Groaning, he turned around. His father was marching towards him, a jovial expression on his face. King Hanson had not been permitted to attend the party, and had been invited to instead spend the day at the bowling alley with a couple of his advisers. There would be a family dinner, later, but Hanson had been rather put out.

He glanced up at the mistletoe, and at the compromising position that Eli and Vela were standing in. His eyebrows shot up, and a small half smile appeared on his face. "Sorry to, uh, interrupt, but I have to speak with Eli for a few moments. He can join you again momentarily."

Vela flashed a small grin at the King and Eli. "Of course, your Highness." She touched the charm on her necklace and ducked back inside the Women's Room.

King Hanson approached Eli and clapped a hand on his back. "She's a strong contender, I take it?" he asked playfully.

"Yeah, you could say that," Eli admitted.

Hanson sighed. "She's one of the people's favorites as well. After her Q and A section on the Report, she instantly made herself likable and unique. She's currently the number one choice for the Elite."

"Who else is up there?" Eli asked curiously.

"Well," Hanson said, "they like Sofie, obviously. Everybody likes Sofie. They're saying that Reina will be up there. Despite her incredible talent for getting into trouble, she's somehow won a place in the hearts of the citizens. There's nothing like a good underdog story." He looked intensely at Eli. "It's not about what the people think, though," he warned. "It's about what you think. Remember that. Keep your Selection going if you want it to. Don't succumb to the fear. Don't let your sister's situation come between you and your future happiness."

Eli felt tears throbbing in his throat as he considered Stella. She should have been there today, should have been celebrating with the family. Her absence had left a sizable dent in the otherwise cheerful party.

"What happened to her, Dad?" he choked. "She was in there for a week. How...how…"

Hanson's face was burrowed, stern. "I'm not entirely sure, son. I did a little investigating of my own. The rule that the murderer suspects are tortured is an ancient one, from the founding days of Illea. It's being rewritten as we speak."

"That wasn't just the standard torture, Dad," Eli insisted. "Somebody did something to her. Somebody-"

"Somebody wants her good and quiet," Hanson agreed softly. "But we don't have any way to prove it. So we have to make do as best as we can."

"You're the King. Can't you just give her a pardon? She's your own daughter, for goodness sakes," Eli pleaded.

"That's exactly why I can't," Hanson explained, wetness forming in his own eyes. "Rumors would fly faster than lightning. I would be revolted against. You would be attacked, she would be attacked. I just...can't." A single drop trickled down his cheeks.

"I understand," Eli said numbly. "I just miss her."

A breath escaped the King's chest, and he pulled Eli close. They stood in the hallway, each trying to keep the tears at bay and failing. "I miss her, too, Eli," he rasped. "I miss her so much."

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 **Ok, I need your guy's opinion on several things. First of all, what are your opinions of Veli? I think they compliment each other so well. Second, I'm now seriously on the edge of skipping to the Elite. I want more time to get to know the girls, but I also want to get on with the action. What I'm planning on now is continuing the story until New Year, focusing on girls that haven't gotten quite as much attention, and then maybe a Valentine's day scene, then moving on to early March when he chooses the Elite. Anyway, thanks for reading!**


	34. Chapter 34

It was perplexing, that's what it was. Ana considered Stella Schreave, the seemingly perfect middle child. There was beloved, charismatic Eli. Brooklyn, who could kill a man and look stunning while doing it. Brinley, bubbly and bright. And of course there was Stella. Stella who would skip Reports to read her novels. Stella who could best her entire family in intellectual debates.

Stella who had apparently killed 5 people.

There was no motive. But, according to Eli, there was evidence. If only Ana knew what it was, she knew she could trace it to somebody else. She had her suspicions. There had to be a way that she could get Eli to tell her more about the case.

But that would be cruel. The Prince was already so broken up about his sister. She didn't want to rub salt in the wound.

However, Eli was not the only Schreave. Ana tapped her chin, considering the other members of the royal family. It was unlikely that Brinley had been trusted with much, if any, information. There was no way that King Hanson or Queen Georgianna would be giving out clues to a random girl. But Brooklyn….Ana was fairly good friends with Brooklyn. The Princess joined her and Vela on their morning run sometimes.

That's who she would go to. With the right questions, the right convincing, Vela was sure she could weasel something out of her.

The problem was, she didn't know quite where to find her. It was almost nighttime, they'd finished up their day-after day-after Christmas meal. If Ana were to make a bet, she'd guess the gym.

On days when it was too cold to run outside (rare in sunny Angeles), Vela and Ana would do their exercising indoors. So Ana was able to perfectly navigate her way to the large, state of the art gym installed on the ground floor. It was filled with rows of equipment, sleek and shiny and new. Brooklyn was the only one there, a small speck of color in the silvery room.

Unsurprisingly, the girl was gleaming with sweat, a sure sign she'd been there for a long time. Her muscles strained as she pulled herself up and over the bar, arms bulging and contracting. There was a look of determination in her eyes, a fire that was funneled into her strength.

Ana approached her, footsteps echoing in the large, mostly empty room. As Brooklyn caught sight of her, she dropped to the ground and wiped the sweat off of her face. "Hey, Ana," she said breathlessly. "What's up?"

Ana smiled. "I was thinking," she said slowly, "about...the murder. Eli was telling me about a similar case almost 150 years ago. Apparently, the daughter of an ambassador was framed for the murder of a couple guards. The planted evidence was supposedly really convincing."

"Are you insinuating that Stella could have been framed?" Brooklyn asked with a frown. "Because that's obviously what's happened. My sister wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I know," Ana agreed quickly, "that's why I was so confused by her confession. I think there might be a combination of fake evidence and blackmail involved. I was wondering if you knew of anything that could point to that."

"If you're asking me to let you in on the evidence, I'm afraid I really can't do that," Brooklyn said. She pulled her long, curly hair up into a ponytail. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "But," she continued slyly, "I could show you some unofficial investigating that I've been doing."

"I'd be down for that," Ana replied excitedly.

Brooklyn pulled on a t shirt over her sports bra. "Why don't you go get Vela? She could be a real asset."

"Vela's having creme brulee with Eli right now," Ana groaned, cursing under her breath. Of all the times for her friend to be with the Prince. Oh well. She'd have to hear about it later.

Brooklyn's brow furrowed. "We need a third person. If we get caught, I would immediately be under suspicion. You would be too if you've been as involved in this case as you seem to have been."

"We'll grab somebody on our way," Ana suggested. "And give them an offer they can't refuse."

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Sage walked down the quiet hallway, on her way to another light night talk with Sofie. Her silk bathrobe was not doing an exceptionally good job of keeping her warm in the chilly palace halls, and she was ecstatic to reach the significantly more heated bedroom.

However, this was not to be. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, two familiar faces turned the corner. Sage recognized Princess Brooklyn immediately, dressed in a pair of leggings and a t shirt. Behind her was another Selected, the 2 from Dominica: Ana.

"Hey, Sadie," said Brooklyn, smiling charmingly.

"It's Sage, actually," Sage said, her brow crinkling. "Can I help you guys?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. We need you to sneak into an off-limits section of the castle and take photos of anything you find there," Brooklyn said bluntly. She held up a small, disposable camera.

Sage held up her hands. "Woah," she said hastily, "I'm not a part of your little mystery solving club. I'm going to pass on this one."

Brooklyn and Ana looked at each other and sighed. Sage felt a glimmer of fear spark in her chest. The girls looked like they were about to do something they would regret later.

"I hate to do this to you, Sage," Ana said, gritting her teeth. "But we really, really need your help. And if you don't do what we're asking, I'm going to go to Eli and tell him that you're withholding crucial information from him. As in the fact that Sofie and Cole are in a relationship."

"They're not-" Sage began, but Brooklyn cut her off.

"They might not be," Brooklyn said swiftly, "but that would be awfuly difficult to prove considering the fact that Ana has it on recording that Cole and Sofie love each other."

"How did you-"

Ana sighed. "Walls are pretty thin in our wing, Sage. As soon as I saw Cole peeping in on your girl's night, I got my camera out. With a few editing tricks, I cut it down to show exactly what needed to be seen."

Sage's face was deathly pale. "Ana Alvarado, I swear-" she choked.

"I do what I need to get what I need," Ana shot back matter of factly. "I'm really sorry that I did that, but I knew that it would turn out useful. And it has. So you're coming with us."

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The door seemed like a gateway to hell. It was wicked hot in the bottom reaches of the castle, down beneath even the dungeon entrance. Sage thrummed her fingers against the camera anxiously.

"If you're not back in 15 minutes, we're coming after you. I don't know what's in there," Brooklyn whispered, "but if you get caught-"

"Say that I was documenting the castle for my family and I took a wrong turn," Sage finished. "Yeah, I know. We've been over it a few times."

"I really am sorry," Ana said with a grimace. "I wish it didn't have to come to this."

"Me neither," Sage said softly. And with that, she pulled open the door, stepped inside, and took in the nightmarish scene.

A winding set of stairs crawled even deeper into the ground. Dim and flickering torches littered the wall, casting unnatural shadows across Sage's face as she stepped onto the creaking stairs. They seemed to go on forever, and Sage couldn't help but feel like she was being swallowed up by the darkness.

 _Why me?_ she thought miserably, trying to steady her shaking hands. The camera wasn't catching much due to the dim light, but it was just enough.

Finally, the twisting stairs hit the floor. Sage stumbled a bit, not realizing that there no more steps. She, in a moment of level headedness, grabbed a torch from the wall and held it in front of her. It revealed a long passageway without windows or doors.

She walked for what felt like hours, weeks, years. The corridor was as neverending as the stairs had been, stretching into darkness. Despite the sweltering heat, Sage felt a chill rush up and down her spine.

Up ahead, she caught a glimpse of a pair of shiny silver doors. It was the first thing she had seen in ages, and she felt a rush of relief that the hallway had ended. However, as she approached what seemed like an elevator of some sorts, she realized that there was a muffled grinding noise coming from them, getting louder by the second. A sound that meant the elevator was moving.

Somebody was coming down.

Sage held her camera up, poised and ready to capture whatever she needed to. A voice at the back of her mind told her that she could have just waited on the other side of the door for five minutes, then claimed she hadn't seen anything suspicious.

And yet, a part of her was determined to see this through. She may have been blackmailed into it, but there was still so much at risk if she didn't comply. In her heart, she knew that Stella was innocent. She wanted to help. She cared about Eli, about the royal family. More than that, she wanted to prove that she was useful. Strong.

 _Poor little Sage,_ people had said after the car wreck that killed her family, _she must be so scared. She must be so scared. So helpless._

There was a difference between helpless and scared. Sage was terrified out of her mind, as the elevator came closer and closer to the ground. But she wasn't helpless. She wasn't going to let her time pass without taking a stand.

The grinding noise ceased, and Sage sucked in a deep breath, ready to take what she needed and talk her way out. Or run. Whichever one would be more useful. Slowly, painstakingly slowly, the doors slid open.

The chamber was empty.

A dark chill gripped Sage's shoulders. The silence of the hallway was deafening. She had the strangest sensation that she was being watched. After all, the torch lamp could only provide so much light.

Who was to say that she was alone in the corridor?

 _I need to leave,_ thought Sage. The only sound was her beating heart. It echoed. It overwhelmed her ears.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

Whispers in the wall.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

Endless tension. Sage was too petrified to move. The eyes were everywhere, they could see her. They were coming for her.

And then her senses were back. Her body was her own again and she bolted, throwing the torch against the damp stone ground where it quickly fizzled out.

Then it was just Sage, scrambling helplessly through the dark.

She hit the walls, she bruised her shoulder, but she never stopped running. The adrenaline coursing through her veins kept her hurtling through the corridor. Her footsteps were loud-too loud. Loud enough that anything in the hallway could hear her loud and clear.

It soon became clear to Sage, though, that hers were not the only footsteps echoing through the hall. Another set was thumping slowly, steadily. Like a drum. Yet it was gaining. Each footstep was dull. They died in Sage's ear as fast as they had come about.

A slimy hand slid around Sage's throat. She pulled up into a dead halt, her eyes wide with terror. A single whimper escaped her mouth. The footsteps continued. They were a clock, ticking, ticking, ticking towards her doom.

" _Give me the camera, Sage."_

She complied, tears sliding down her cheeks. She made no other noises, simply letting the camera fall from her hands. She never heard it hit the ground.

But suddenly, the stairs were in front of her. The torch light lit the way up, and Sage let out a silent sob of relief. Her legs were dead tired, but still, she forced herself to begin the climb. Her eyelids drooped. She clung to the railing, focusing on reaching the top. _If you don't reach the top, you will leave your father alone,_ she told herself as she mounted agonizing step after agonizing step.

Finally, she collapsed through the door. Ana and Brooklyn were slumped against the wall, deep in conversation. As soon as Sage made herself known, they jumped quickly to their feet.

"What happened?" Brooklyn asked, looking in horror at Sage's state.

Ana rushed over to her. "You look like death."

Sage found she couldn't answer. All she could do was moan. The hand against her throat seemed to still be there, and the pounding, rhythmic footsteps echoed in her head.

"Get her to your room," Brooklyn said decisively. "You're the closest."

It took them a good long while, but they eventually dragged her up the flights of stairs to the main floor. It wasn't a long walk to bring her around a corner and down the hallway that lead to Ana's room.

"Hey, what's going on here?" came a smooth yet annoyed voice from across the hall. Ana, Brooklyn, and Sage turned to see Sofie, bursting out of the room. Her hair was up in a towel, a face mask was half done, and she was wearing a bathrobe identical to the one Sage had on. "Did you kidnap my friend and beat her up?"

"Sofie, if you make a spectacle of this, I will personally make sure you are eliminated from this competition," Brooklyn said in a weary yet firm voice. "If you want to be involved, then get into Ana's room _quietly._ "

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Sage lay out on the bed, a cool, damp cloth on her forehead. Sofie was sitting shell-shocked on Ana's chair, tapping her long, polished nails against the arm. Brooklyn sat next to Sage on the bed, stroking her arm and offering reassuring murmurs.

"That's so incriminating," Ana said passionately, pacing up and down the room. "We have to go tell Eli right away."

"No," Brooklyn said, rising to face Ana, "we didn't collect any concrete evidence and we can't let Eli know that we were down there at all. You two would get kicked out of the Selection and I would be _severely_ punished. We keep this between ourselves for now. Eventually, we can go back."

Sage bolted upright. "You can't go down there," she pleaded.

Brooklyn and Ana shared a glance. "I understand it was probably terrifying to be down there, Sage," Brooklyn started sympathetically, "but what probably happened was you got so wrapped up in the dark that you dropped the camera and imagined the other things you described."

"Imagined…" Sage repeated. She lowered herself down back onto the bed. "Yes, that could be it." She looked up at Ana. "You owe me a recording, by the way," she reminded, her voice fragile.

Ana nodded. "I'll go grab it," she said with a glance at Sofie. She hurried back to her desk and rummaged through the assorted odds and ends that had been stacked so thoughtlessly. For a second, she paused. There was a curse, and she returned to the others.

"My camera," she breathed. "It's gone."

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 **I know I'm submitting a day early, but I had so much fun writing this chapter that I finished it super early. This mystery is just getting creepier and creepier! Poor Sage, I felt like she wasn't getting the recognition she deserved, so I decided to give her a moment in the spotlight. Leave a review telling me what you thought, and what you think really happened to Sage in the hallway! And just what could be on the other side of the elevator? Also, Ana and Brooklyn are such awesome friends. Overall this is probably my favorite chapter yet!**


	35. Chapter 35

Eli knocked softly on the door. His heart was heavy tonight. Three more girls were going home, each of them holding a small part of Eli's heart. He didn't want to eliminate them, but he had to narrow his choices down somehow. There just wasn't a way that he could keep everybody until the last possible second.

" _I'm sorry, Kathleen."_

" _What?"_

" _I'm afraid that your time in this Selection is ending. I wish you the best of luck, and will miss you. If you'd like to talk, I am more than willing to stay for a few minutes."_

" _No, that will be alright. Thank you, Eli, for this opportunity."_

Kathleen had taken it well. She'd smiled, given him a hug, and had set out immediately to pack her things. That had almost made it more difficult for Eli.

" _Lady Isle, I'm so sorry, but you've been Eliminated from the Selection. You will be escorted back to the Angeles Airport where you will be flown directly to Clermont in the utmost comfort."_

" _How could you? Do you know what my parents are going to say to you and to me? Not to mention the scandal. The people are going to be very disappointed. See how your ratings do after I leave."_

Eli had been happy to dismiss her after that, and had done some serious soul searching as to why he hadn't done so the very first day they met.

But this one was going to be hard. Tricia was going home. He didn't want her to leave, but she wasn't showing enthusiasm. She wasn't showing emotion. She wasn't giving him feedback or praise or anything.

She pulled the door open. "Hey, Eli," she said, her expression indifferent. As usual. A pair of red flannel pajama pants hugged her legs, and she sported a black tank top. "What's up?"

"Can I come in?" he asked. Tricia nodded, and stepped aside. Eli took a few steps in, then stopped in amazement.

A portrait of him hung on the wall, twice the size of anything Brinley had ever mad for him. The colors were vibrant. They seemed to reach past the canvas and grab hold of his attention. His eyes, his piercing forest eyes stared at him intensely under his furrowed brow. Atop his head was a golden crown, with a metallic sheen added by the lighter paints.

"That's incredible," Eli gasped. "H-how did you do this?"

Tricia shrugged, coming up behind him. "Brinley and I have been working together for a week. I suggested the idea, she pulled some strings to get us the canvas, and together, we…" she trailed off, and gestured to the portrait. "If you want, it will be hung in your room. Brinley seemed to think that you'd want to keep it."

"Do I want to keep it?" Eli murmured. He turned to face Tricia, his face lighting up. "Do I want to keep-of course I want to keep it! This is amazing. Thank you so, so much." But his smile faded as he suddenly remembered the purpose of his trip to Tricia's room. How on earth was he going to let her go now?

Tricia beat him to the game, though. "I'm not stupid, Eli," she said quietly. "I know why you're here. And it sucks, but I want to talk about it. What did I do wrong?"

The words did not come as quickly as they had in his head. "You see," he started, "I'm not getting reactions from you. Well, I am, but they're not decipherable actions, if you understand what I'm saying."

"I don't," Tricia replied flatly. "Are you saying you can't understand me?"

"Sort of, sort of. The thing is, with, for example, Ava, I can always understand when she's happy. I can tell that she likes being with me. And with Ana or Vela or even Sofie, I can definitely tell when they're unhappy. They'll give me constructive criticism. They let me know what I can do to make them happy." He sighed. "But with you, you just give me blank stares. You're uninterested. And it's really difficult for me to date somebody that doesn't even seem to have an active opinion about me."

It took a long time for Tricia to consider this. She looked at the ground with her lips pursed. When she looked up again, there were tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Did I ever tell you about my family?" she asked, her eyes hard. "Because you're about to get the whole story."

Eli watched as she took in a deep, calming breath, then exhaled sharply. "My father is disabled," she explained. "He was a part of your father's Elite Guard 30 years ago. One of the best damn guards there. One day, he was taking down a suicide bomber that was supposedly headed straight for King Hanson. He took him down, but lost control of both legs. Between that, and the busy, judgmental workaholic I call mom, there isn't a lot of space to take care of kids. I was sort of...left to be raised by myself. A lot of responsibility for a kid. And that doubled when my little siblings were born. I am their caretaker. I love my dad, but he can't do much. And my mom…"

Blinking at all the information being thrown at him, Eli tried to intervene. "Tricia, I-"

"And that," she defied, "is not all. You know that I'm a Four, or at least I was before I came here. My family, they're the only poor people in the entire town. In the neighborhood we live in, everybody is a Three. And not your average Three. They act like they're Twos, what with all the lording over they do. They _hate_ my family. You don't understand. You wouldn't understand." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I know that my circumstances doesn't excuse my behavior, or lack of it, anyway, and I am ready to go home. I just thought that you should know the whole story."

She turned away, staring at the painting. _Just let her go, Eli,_ he told himself. _She said so herself, her story doesn't excuse her behavior._ But there was something that was telling him to stop.

"Tricia," he ventured, "when you're painting...what do you feel?"

She sighed. "I guess I feel free," she responded simply. "It's the cliche answer, I know. But when I'm working on one of my projects, it's like a whole other world. My parents don't nag me about what I am are am not doing. There's a rule that my siblings aren't allowed to come and ask me for things while I'm in the studio."

"You have a real talent," Eli said, approaching the painting. It's unusual. Were you taught by anybody? Any particular teacher?"

Tricia laughed scornfully. "If my parents had had that kind of money, they would have spent it on the shop. They own a little art shop in the pretentious Three district of Fennley. It's their pride and joy." She looked at the floor. "I taught myself to paint," she said matter of factly. "I taught myself to read. I taught myself everything."

"Tell me about your siblings."

With a purse of her lips, Tricia replied, "Well, there's perfect little Miri. She has the most beautiful orange hair. She looks normal. Not like the rest of us. If my mother loves any of her children more than her shop, it's Miriam Louise Beaumont."

"And your brother?" Eli prompted.

Tricia hinted at a smile. "Aaron's like me," she said smugly. "He's got the whole vampire complexion with the red-brown hair. I'm teaching him how to read right now, but it gets tiring after explaining what sound the A makes 1,000 times. Like, for goodness, sakes, C says 'kuh', A says 'ah', and T says 'tuh'. It's not that complicated."

Suddenly, her face dropped. "I love my siblings," she conceded. "I really do. They haven't done anything wrong. Is it awful that I resent them?"

"I don't think you resent _them,_ " Eli said slowly. "You might resent your lot in life. You could definitely resent your parents. But it doesn't really sound like you resent your siblings themselves."

He watched Tricia wipe underneath on of her eyes, and decided to turn the conversation towards a lighter subject. "With painting, it's more than just getting away from your responsibility, though," he reasoned. "There's a spark inside you." He stepped closer to her. "Is there any sort of spark inside of you when you talk to me?"

"There might be," Tricia said slyly, glancing down at her hands.

"Well," Eli proposed, "promise me that you'll show me that you truly want to be here. That you truly want to be with me. Because you're not going home just yet."

A light appeared in Tricia's eyes, but before she could say anything, a loud noise and an explosion of light filled the window. "New Year's Day fireworks," she remarked. "It's officially 2381." She smiled up at Eli. "To new beginnings?"

"To new beginnings," Eli replied warmly.

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 **And that's a wrap on the first half of my story! Thanks so much to everybody that has been here with their endless positivity. Most of all, thanks to The Cruel Pringle for introducing me to this website and helping figure everything out. Couldn't have done it without you, and once again, I'm sorry for snatching your character names. I'm really excited to move to the Elite, but before that, I have a quick little Valentine's Day thing that has three** **miniature** **stories from the perspectives of Viv, Brooklyn, and Gigi. Then after that, in early March, we get to the Elite! SO EXCITED!**


	36. Chapter 36

Viv sat down at her desk, eagerly awaiting today's mail. The palace was abuzz with a feeling of apprehension and exhilaration. Today was February 14th, and it seemed that love was truly in the air. Viv had always loved Valentine's Day, though people around her tried to tell her that it was a commercial product used to promote capitalism. And while Viv knew they were right, in her opinion, there was still something wonderful about a day dedicated to love.

For fear of her thoughts getting too sappy, she opened up the book she'd been reading. _The Paradox of the Postmodern World._ It was a thrilling read about the time period just before WWIII that talked about their incredible genius and creativity, and how that had ultimately led to their dependence on machines. Viv found it utterly fascinating.

As she was reading though, the lines seemed to blur together. She began to think reflect on the Selection so far. There were 23 girls left, and Eli seemed to be wrapping up his decisions for the Elite. Viv guessed that he would be making the decision in early March.

Had she done enough to make sure she was in the Elite? Did she even want to be in the Elite? Yes, she did, of course she did. Eli was...amazing. She'd been on another date with him just the day before. They'd gone bowling. Well, Eli had gone bowling. Viv had awkwardly pushed the ball into the gutter 10 times while Eli laughed uproariously. She'd lost by a whopping 176 points, but being with Eli had been a sweet consolation prize.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Mail for Viviana Ebony," came the bright and chipper voice of the servant in charge of mail. "You've got two letters."

Viv rushed to the door and pulled it open. Thanking the servant, she rushed back to her desk to open them. She was glad that Eli had disbanded the tradition of receiving mail at breakfast. In that scenario, one would either have to read their letter in front of people, or wait and read it later. Viv didn't think she could do either.

One was from Lia.

 _Viv,_

 _I was simply testing this system to see if they would legitimately send this letter through the mail system. Tell me whether or not I was correct._

 _Lia_

Viv chuckled at her friend. Lia was an intellectual the same as her. She'd been raised on books and had developed quite the vocabulary. She couldn't tone it down even for a quick note to her friend.

The second one was from none other than Levi Jones. Viv tried to suppress a squeal as she ripped open the envelope. Princes were great, but there was no way that Eli could compare to Levi in her heart.

 _Dearest Viv,_

 _I know I haven't written to you yet, and yes, that makes me the worst person on the planet. I've been super busy with the sequel to my movie. Mom's been telling me all about your adventures, though! How's Eli? I met him once or twice, back when I was filming my movie. He's a super nice guy, right? I bet you two are hitting it off really well._

 _Mom's been despondent since you left and I got busy. She doesn't know what to do with herself now that she doesn't have us to dote on. I go back every once and awhile, and she's always just sitting in the armchair looking at that picture of us on the wall. Last time I visited, she told me she was thinking about joining a yoga class. That's how desperate she is. Shame on me for being busy and successful. Shame on you for being so loveable and beautiful that the Prince won't let you come home._

 _Anyway, write back soon! Send it to Mom, and she'll make sure it gets to me. I'll be anxiously waiting for it, don't think I won't be._

 _Miss you with all my heart,_

 _Levi_

Viv could not keep her eyes from combing over the words "Dearest", "Loveable", "Beautiful", and "Miss you with all my heart". She could feel her chest getting lighter, and a tingle of joy spread throughout her body. She clutched the letter close to herself, determined to never let it out of her possession again.

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Brooklyn was flopped across her bed, absentmindedly watching some crappy Valentine's day movie that was on at the moment. A Four in Fennley was about to lose her farm to the bank, but she was putting on a concert to raise the money to save it. At the same time, she was being visited by an old childhood friend that was apparently going to teach her the meaning of love. It was an incredibly original plot line.

"Oh my gosh, he's dreamy," groaned Brinley from where she was sprawled across Brooklyn's legs. She was staring at her phone, zooming in on the picture of some young celebrity. She turned and shoved in it Brooklyn's face. "Look at him. He's perfect."

"That is one attractive looking man," she agreed, nodding in Brinley's direction. Congrats. You picked a good one. When is he coming over?"

"Can we actually invite him over?" Brinley asked enthusiastically. "Are you serious?" Her bouncy brown curls flew all over the place as she considered the possibility.

Brooklyn snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, B," she said, "we're the Royal Family. I'm pretty sure that people aren't allowed to say no to us. So yeah, sure, I'll have dad invite him over for dinner one time. What's his name again?"

"Levi Jones," Brinley said dreamily.

"The one that starred in that movie about King Maxon and Queen America? I'm pretty sure he's been here before. He looks older now than he did when he visited last time. I didn't even recognize him." She turned back to the movie she had been watching, but Brinley had other ideas.

Grabbing the remote, she turned off the TV. "What's up with you, Brooke?" she asked aggravatedly. "You aren't paying attention to me."

"That's because I was trying to watch my movie. I'm so fascinated to see whether or not they save the farm and get together," Brooklyn explained, trying to reclaim the remote from her sister. It proved to be no use, though. Brinley was determined.

"Is it because you're single?" she asked.

Brooklyn grimaced. "First of all, ouch," she said sharply. "Second of all, even if I was down in the dumps because I was single, I wouldn't be taking it out on you. I'm just not interested in some actor that I've only ever met once before."

"Can we at least turn off the dumb movie?"

"Absolutely not."

Gasping, Brinley said, "I know! I'm going to get you a boyfriend. That'll cheer you up." She reopened her phone and started scrolling through her feed. "Hmm...basketball player...singer...football player...singer...singer...actor…"

"What are you looking at?" Brooklyn asked incredulously, peering over her sister's shoulder.

"It's this account I follow that gives you one hot single bachelor a week," Brinley replied. "Levi was the subject today, that's why I mentioned him." She turned back to her phone. "Golfer...son of a diplomat...hey there's Eli! I forgot about that. This was before the Selection. Wow, he looks so ugly in this picture."

But Brooklyn wasn't listening. She was staring at her little sister, a decision in her mind. She was grappling over whether to say something or not when Brinley turned around. "Geez, sis, are you OK?" she asked. "You look like you ate some of Mom's fish enchiladas."

Brooklyn sighed. "The truth is, Brinley, that you're not going to be able to find anybody on that list that I like. Well, nobody that I want to date, anyway." When Brinley nodded for her to continue, she added, "I haven't told anybody this yet, but there's a reason I'm still single. Why I haven't let Mom and Dad haven't pick out a Prince for me."

At Brinley's still blank stare, Brooklyn sighed. "I'm gay, B."

Brinley's eyes lit up in understanding. She made a small 'oh' shape with her lips, and stared at her older sister. Her eyebrows were raised so high they almost hit her hairline. Brooklyn waited for her to say something, but her sister just kept looking at her.

"Comments?" she asked dryly.

"Yup. You're in luck," Brinley said finally, turning back to her phone. "There's also a 'Bachlorette of the Week' account."

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He was sitting across the table from her, smiling like a fool. Gigi didn't know why he'd picked her, of all girls, to take his dinner with. It wasn't like his pasta was going to taste any different with or without her.

As they ate in comfortable silence, Gigi thought back to earlier that day. It had been her turn to answer a Q and A segment on the Report, much to her chagrin. In her mind, though, it had gone fairly well. Starr had grilled her, rather ferociously, but Gigi hadn't backed down.

" _So, Gigi, some of my inside sources tell me that you're going to be having dinner with the Prince later tonight for a Valentine's Day dinner."_

" _That's correct."_

" _Would you like to elaborate on the Prince? The two of you seem to be very close. I'm sure the viewers of Illea would love to hear what exactly being in a relationship with the Prince entails."_

" _Starr, please."_

" _No, Prince Elias, it's alright. You see, Starr, dating the Prince has been a truly wonderful experience, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity I've been given. So while we are doing it for a reality show, there are some aspects of our life that I'd prefer to keep on the down low. You obviously understand, being such a figure in the public eye."_

" _Of course."_

Eli looked up from his dinner. "You were really great on the Report today," he said earnestly. "Father told me that your ratings shot up. Apparently, your answer was labeled as 'a tactful take down of a boundary pushing question'." He smiled into his plate. "I would have to agree."

At this, Gigi had to smile back. "Thanks," she murmured softly. She took a bite of pasta, then looked up at Eli. "I could have gone into it, you know," she said. "It's not like I was avoiding the question because I didn't want to respond."

"I know, Gi. I'm not complaining. I'm just grateful that you said what you did." His eyes narrowed. "But out of curiosity, what would you have said if you hadn't been held back?"

This took Gigi by surprise. "What would I have said?" She tapped her chin. "Well, I guess I would said that it was a bit of a shock getting to know you. Because, you know, I'd grown up watching you on TV. I had this version of you in my mind that was nice enough. Not necessarily the kind of person I would _want_ to date.

"But then I met you. And you were every bit the part that they have you play in the media. Except you're more. I've gotten to see all the sides of you. I think that I can honestly say that it's been the best experience of my life." She looked up to see Eli, his eyes filled with an emotion that made her chest ache.

"I love you, Gi," he said softly, taking her hands across the table. And for the first time in her life, Gigi wanted to return those words. They'd been said before, whispered in her ear by heartless men that didn't mean them.

There was something that told her she couldn't, though. Something had chained her heart and was forcibly yanking it backwards. She couldn't-she couldn't-

"Gigi?" Eli asked gently.

"I can't," she gasped. "After everything...everything I've been here, it's taken its toll on me. I wish I could, I want to. I want to be able to tell you truthfully. But they...they...I think...I think that they destroyed me, Eli. I don't know if I can love the way you want me to be able to. I think I'm broken."

Face darkening, Eli gripped her hands tighter. "Who? Who did what to you?"

Gigi shook her head. "I...they...I think you should go, Eli. I can't give you what you want. Not today. Maybe not ever."

She watched the pain spread up from his chest towards his face. His eyes crumpled, and he ran a hand through his head. "OK," he said simply. "OK." He stood and walked towards the door. Gigi caught a glimmer of tears escape his eye.

Just before he left, he turned halfway. His deep green eyes shimmered sorrowfully. "You aren't broken, Gigi," he said, his voice raspy. "I know you aren't."

Then he was gone, and Gigi was left with shadows, ghosts, and the shambles of what had been a perfect night.

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 **And with this, we get into the Elite! Gah, I'm so excited. I'm going to have a fun opportunity for everybody that submitted a girl, so be watching your PMs. I think it'll be really neat! In other news, I absolutely loved writing this chapter. Every point of view was so fun and I discovered really deep things about each of these girls. Viv is so cute and in love. I'm so excited to continue her relationship with Levi, plus Brinley was so funny with her fangirling. I loved her and Brooklyn's talk, I'm definitely planning on expanding with Brooklyn's sexuality. And finally, poor Gigi. I've said it once, I'll say it again. All of the hard things that she went through after she ran away really hurt her, and there were definitely consequences. Luckily things seem to be looking up for her!**


	37. Chapter 37

"You're still up?" came a soft voice from Eli's door. He looked up from the array of papers and photos in front of him to see his mother standing on the threshold between the hallway and his room.

He sighed, throwing up his hands. "I've been awake the past two days. The Elite are supposed to be picked by tomorrow, but I can't make any decisions." A single strand of dark brown hair flopped into his face, and he blew at it angrily.

The Queen approached him and put her arms around his shoulder. "If you want," she said soothingly, "we can bring your dad in here. He would probably know how to help you. Remember, he went through all the same things you have."

"I know, I know," Eli said. He stared back down at the sheet of paper. "I just feel like I need to do this by myself." When he heard his mother let out a snort, he looked up with a bashful expression. "And maybe with a little bit of input from you. You're older and wiser than me. Which girls do you like?"

Georgianna took a deep breath. "Well," she said carefully, "I like most of them. They're all very kind, smart, capable people. Otherwise they wouldn't be here." She shot Eli a knowing look. "But there are a few who have a sort of….special something. Who do you have on the list?"

"Reina, Ana, Vela, Gigi, Ava, and Lia," Eli said. "They're all the girls who stood out to me within the first few days, and I know that I want them to move on. The trouble is filling the other four slots."

"Who says you have to do that?" his mother asked with a slight frown. "Do you remember reading about King Maxon in your history books?"

"Yeah," Eli said, "he only chose six girls for his Elite. But I don't want that, mother. I want to hang on to as many of these girls as long as I can. They mean the world to me. Plus, I don't really trust the judgement of a 21 year old at the peak of his decision making slump."

Closing her eyes, Georgianna took on a pensive expression. She placed a hand on Eli's. "Then I'll tell you what I think. Viviana Ebony is smart, resourceful, and a daydreamer. She has a vision. She has spirit. That's the type of girl that changes the world, you know."

Eli nodded. "I think I'll add her, then."

"Good thinking. I don't think you'll regret it. Another that's stood out to me is Sofie. On the surface, I know she looks like just another two. But I can tell there's something about her. Bring her to the Elite. You don't have to marry her, but she'd be a good candidate to bring into the limelight," his mother recommended.

"That leaves two spots."

Standing, Queen Georgianna brushed a hand through her son's hair. "I'm going to leave that up to you. It's your Selection, and eventually you'll have to make decisions on your own." She placed a kiss on top of his head. "I love you, Eli. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you, Mom," Eli said with a sleepy grin.

She had helped, certainly. But there were still choices to be made, perspectives to be considered, hearts to be broken. Just how many dreams could he crush in one night? Surely this would be a record.

15 girls. So many would be heading home tomorrow. So many would be broken and confused and hurt. How was it that Eli was supposed to do that to them?

For the first time in all four months that the girls had been at the castle, he wished that he could have chosen his wife in the normal way. Maybe in a year or two, after Starr had calmed down a little, they could have been married. Or he could have gotten to know Princess Colette of New France and formed an alliance. Maybe he would have fallen head over heels in love with that cute maid that always blushed when he walked past.

In any case, he'd never know now. There was no choice but to make the choice. And the choice, while difficult, had to be made. He had to choice the make. He choice make the had…

The next thing he knew, Eli was bolting awake. The sun was streaming through his window, and his button down shirt he'd worn the day before was wrinkled. The array of names and faces shone beneath him, and suddenly, everything was clear. He knew exactly who to choose.

Grabbing a hairbrush and straightening his clothes, Eli dashed out of his room. There was an announcement to be announced, and according to his watch, he had negative two and a half minutes to make it down to the Great Room. The sleepiness still clung to his eyes, but the exhilaration of the decision was keeping him mostly awake and coherent.

As he bolted into the Great Room, the anxious chattering that had filled it came to a halt. Every girl turned to stare at him. He smiled awkwardly, then went and stood at the podium at the front of the room.

"Ladies, it is my great pleasure and sorrow to be standing here before you today," he said, still breathless from his sprint down to the room. As he suspected, his family was looking at him disapprovingly and glancing at their watches. He sighed. "As you all are very aware of, I have made the choice of who will stay at the castle and become my Elite, and who will be returning home to their families.

Tense muttering. Eli reached up and wiped his brow. This was so much more intimidating when it wasn't a rehearsal in his brain. Now there were actual people, people that he cared about, people that he was going to hurt.

"I will read out the names of those staying. If yours is not on the list, that means that unfortunately, you will not be staying with us. I will be open and available to talk with you if that's what you wish. The Elite will be escorted to new chambers in the East Wing. Your families will be visiting next week."

He gulped. This was the big moment. Did he dare say the first name?

His mother gave him one of her rare smiles, and he felt a surge of courage.

"Ana Alvarado."

Out in the crowd, he saw Ana practically melt with relief. Vela was standing next to her, hands gripping her friend's arm tightly.

"Vela Elliot. Gigi Edwards. Luava Qappik. Dahlia Ramirez. Reina Yeres. Viviana Ebony. Sofie LaFierre."

He watched as each girl shed their anxious skin as he called their name. Ava practically sank into a dead faint, and had to be supported by Viv, Tricia, and Lia. Eli chuckled, trying miserably to cover it up with a cough.

There were only two spots left, and the girls knew it. They were looking at their friends worriedly, glaring at others with suspicion in their eyes, crossing their fingers and crossing themselves and crossing anything they could find.

Eli continued, "Tricia Beaumont. And Sage Marson."

It had come to him that morning that those two were going to the Elite. He could sense Tricia's passion beneath her uninterested facade. And there was something about her that made him desperate to unearth that and see it manifested in something other than her paintings. Something useful and productive. He was positive that if she could do that, she could be an incredibly influential person someday. Maybe not the Queen, but a name almost as well known.

As for Sage, well, Eli had been seeing her every day down in the stables when he came for his daily surveillance of the grounds. She was always there, sweeping the floor or brushing the horses or filling the troughs. After about a week of crossing paths, Eli started asking if she wanted to go on rides with him. It was delightful, and he'd gotten to know her very well. He had to be careful with her, though. She had been broken before, and was being held together by nothing but sheer determination. She deserved to become an Elite.

It was almost too difficult for Eli to bear watching the other girls. Some sank into the floor out of sheer desperation and exhaustion. One of them, Jasmine, was shrieking and throwing a tantrum that the maids would talk about for years.

But for some reason, Eli didn't focus on that. Instead, he watched the smiles of the Elite as they were escorted by maids out of the room. All of them were positively glowing, though Reina had a glint in her eye that made Eli just a little bit nervous.

"Thank you, everybody," he said hoarsely.

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 **HERE WE GO! I'm so happy to be at this point, and I'm so grateful to y'all. I have almost all of the UN country submission, thanks to all of you who answered so quickly! We're just missing one person (cough The Cruel Pringle, get called out cough), but after that it's go time! I'm so pumped for the Elite, there's going to be murder, drama, romance, everything that there was in the first half, but more. And just to spice things up, our old friend Starr is going to be showing up a lot more. I've missed her and her infuriating antics. Anyway, that's all, please leave a review letting me know what you guys want to see in the Elite!**


	38. Chapter 38

Tricia sat listlessly, staring at the whiteboard in front of her. She, along with two of the other Elite girls, were being subjected to an hour of science tutoring. Only three girls were allowed to be tutored at a time to make sure that all of them were paying close attention. Tricia was grouped with none of her friends, instead forced to spend the time with Gigi Edwards and Sage Marson. Tricia didn't care enough to say anything, Gigi was focused on not so secretly lighting a cigarette, and Sage was...Sage. She didn't say much to begin with. Together, they were making things decidedly difficult for their teacher, Sir Ing.

"So you see," he said desperately, "the plastic will make its way to the ocean eventually, where the global winds will push it, along with other currents, towards other gyres. Can any of you tell me how a gyre is formed?"

Nobody answered.

"Phenomenal," Sir Ing muttered. "I get sent halfway across the world to enlighten the minds of three girls that could be future Queens. But I get there and I discover that none of them-"

"A gyre is formed when currents come close to a land mass. They divert their course, then are pushed by another global wind back in the direction they came," Gigi said softly, not looking up from her cigarette. "This forms the circular mesh of surface currents, which traps a large amount of trash, such as said the plastic bag."

There was a silence, and then Sir Ing said, "Well, yes, that's correct. Thank you for answering, Regina."

Gigi did not acknowledge him.

After class, Sir Ing's apprentice, Yosef, approached them. "You were good, Lady Gigi," he said, his Eastern European accent thick. "If you try more hard in class, you can one day be very...what is word? Successful." Immediately, he turned to the other two. "And I am sure you and you are very smart as well. Maybe please will you more talk in class?"

At the cheerful, energetic young man, Tricia had to smile. "Sure, Yosef. Whatever you say."

His face lit up. "Thank, Lady Tricia," he said. "And thank, Lady Sage, too. And of course Lady Gigi. Goodbye! I will see you tomorrow!" Then he turned and disappeared back into the class to talk to Sir Ing.

"Yosef makes tutoring infinitely better," Tricia said pensively.

Gigi shrugged. "His overwhelming kindness and enthusiasm can be a bit much," she said huskily, though there was a small smile on her lips as she stared after the apprentice.

With a sigh, Sage remarked, "It's just a shame that we can't talk to him without Sir Ing hovering over our shoulder checking to make sure we know the difference between haloclines and pycnoclines."

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That night, Tricia slept restlessly. She had a strange dream where she, Gigi, and Sage were floundering in the ocean while Yosef watched from an island made of trash, calling words of encouragement.

When she woke at three in the morning, she knew there would be no more sleeping for her. Slipping quietly off of her bed, she pulled on a bathrobe and tiptoed out the door. It was eerie, so incredibly different from the daytime.

A considerable amount of her fear came from the danger of getting caught. Once they'd become Elite, an entirely new set of rules was given to them. For example, no roaming the hallways after curfew, ten at night. The Royal Family was concerned that the killer would be anxious to strike those close to Eli, and he was taking no chances.

Though she claimed to resent her family, Tricia couldn't help but wonder how they were doing without her. She missed her father, she missed Aaron, and she admittedly missed Miri as well. They'd only sent one letter so far, about three weeks ago. According to her father, they were struggling, but hanging in there.

Suddenly, Tricia realized just how loud her footsteps were. Unnaturally loud. And they sounded disconnected. As if it were not just her own feet that were making the sounds…

She reeled around quickly, but could, at first, see nothing. Nothing but the empty sameness of room after room, stretching down the hallway. But as she looked closer, she caught glimpse of something leaning against the wall at the far end of the corridor.

No, not something. Someone.

A cloaked black figure stood menacingly before her, standing stalk still. Tricia felt her heart pound against her chest. For one instant, one singular instant, they stared at each other, neither making the first move.

Then the figure lunged.

All at once, Tricia remembered how to move. She turned around and sprinted down the hall, the dimly lit castle offering her little aide. Barely any lights to see by. Corner after corner she turned, never stopping in the endless maze of the palace. She didn't even dare look back to see how close her pursuer was.

Finally, she crept into a room that had a lock. With trembling fingers, she clicked the deadbolt into place. As she peered out the window, she realized that the figure in black was nowhere to be seen. A chill of dread rushed down her back.

She turned around, and what she saw nearly knocked her breath away. A small brown parcel lay at the base of the wall. Above it was a message, written in a dark, gooey substance that dripped slowly. Even in the dim torch light, Tricia could make out what it said.

 _Tricia_

 _I knew you'd end up here eventually._

 _Give this package to your Prince or next time, I don't think I'll let you escape. You're a pretty one, after all._

 _Many thanks,_

 _S_

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 _Precious Prince,_

 _I have a proposal for you, and I would say that it is in your best interest to follow through. Unless I have sorely mistaken your affection for a girl by the name of Starrling Rebecca Fadaye. The pretty blonde one that talks entirely too much. Why you keep her around is entirely beyond me, but she has proved useful. At least, I hope she will._

 _Late last night, I broke into your palace. I kidnapped Starrling, but before that, I chased down one the girls in the brothel you call a Selection. She'll be delivering this letter to you. Hopefully I didn't scare her too much._

 _You understand, I don't know any of this for certain. I am writing in the comfort of my own home, and in a couple of hours my plan will commence. But I have no doubt I will succeed. I am skilled, and I have advantages that you will never even dream of._

 _By now, I hope you are smart enough to have realized who I am. Yes, it is I, the one who assassinated the royal family of France and escaped without a trace. The one that left three dead maids for that horribly skittish girl from Yukon to find on her first day. The one that wrote in blood on the wall of Sofie LaFierre._

 _If you do not call off the Selection in three weeks' time, Starrling will be killed. Videographic evidence will be sent to you for proof. You are renowned as the Prince with a heart, Eli. Hopefully that facade doesn't falter now._

 _One more thing. You may have guessed that I am not your dear, utterly mad sister that is rotting away in a dungeon. I framed her, and I will continue to do so. You are not to tell anybody about this little fact. The only reason I tell you is so that you do not ask unnecessary questions that expose this note. I believe it goes without saying that this is all privileged information._

 _If you do try to tell anybody, you will be dead before the morning. I have eyes, ears, and arms everywhere. They will tell me, and they will kill you. They are expendable. They fear no punishment._

 _Adieu for now._

Eli looked up from the paper, his eyes weary and his shoulders seeming to hold the weight of the world. He hadn't felt so heavy in ages. In his hand was an assortment of objects that had been inside the parcel. There was a lock of hair, golden as the sun. Definitely Starr's. It was sparkling with her signature hair glitter.

There was a necklace, a silver chain with a single star at the end. Eli remembered it well. He'd given it to her on her 16th birthday. She wore it everywhere, even to bed. The necklace proved that there was no doubt that this killer had Starr in their clutches.

And just to solidify, there was a photograph. It was grainy and blurry, but Eli could make out what it was. Starr was there, with a gash on her face, her hands bound behind her back. She appeared to be unconscious, but Eli couldn't quite tell.

His hands shook as he placed the objects back into the parcel. _I have to tell somebody,_ he screamed at himself. There had to be some way to let his parents know what the content of the letter said. Perhaps he could slip it under their door.

No, because then, he would be killed. Apparently, S had spies everywhere. Filthy traitors.

It hurt Eli to think that he was putting his own safety above Starr's. It disgusted him that he was so scared of losing his own life. Everybody in movies and books always made the noble decision. Sacrificing himself shouldn't be so difficult. It shouldn't be so hard to go to his father's room and tell him everything.

And yet, he was still standing there, gripping the package.

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"So why did you ask me on this date, again?" Ana asked, a fake smile plastered on her face as they walked past a group of guards. "Up in the farthest reaches of the castle that you could possibly find?"

"I'll explain once we get there," Eli said, with an equally fake smile. "I can't say anything to you right now."

Ana nodded. "Understandable. I feel like this is probably a big deal then."

"Keep quiet."

"Fine."

They finally ended up in the tower room with all the files, the Mystery Manor. Ana remembered their first date up there, almost four months ago. Had she really only known Eli for four months? It felt like a lifetime.

"So what new advance do you have in the case?" she asked. "Assuming that's what you wanted to tell me about. And why did you have to drag me all the way up these stairs? I mean, I love this place, but couldn't you have just brought me into a closed room and locked the door?"

"No," Eli responded. "Our disappearance had to be believable. We go up here all the time, so there's no suspicion." He reached back into his pocket and pulled out the folded and creased letter. "You need to read this."

Ana took the paper and furrowed her brow. "When did you get this?" she asked.

"I found it outside my bedroom door this morning," Eli replied. "I have no idea who put it there."

Continuing to read the message, Ana's mouth dropped open. Her eyes traced the words, going over them to make sure she'd read it right. "Starr?" she asked in a hushed whisper. "They have Starr?" Without waiting for an answer, she dove back into the letter.

"I don't know what to do, Ana," he said with a groan. It was hard to drag her into this, but he didn't know where else to turn. Ana would give him the advice he needed. He could always count on Ana.

"I have no idea."

Eli spluttered. "You have no idea? But this is your area of expertise! There has to be some sort of advice that you can give me. Do I tell my parents? Do I call off the Selection?"

"Well," Ana said slowly, "you have a rather long deadline. We don't have to make any rash decisions right away. Why don't we keep this safe, and we'll work on figuring out a third option. I guess that's my advice. When you're faced with two equally awful situations, there's always a third option. We just need to think outside the box."

Eli nodded. "Let's get to work, then."

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 **Oh no Starr! Even though she can be annoying, she's still my baby. But at least this means we get to see more of Eli's own private detective squad. I'm so excited! To be honest, I didn't realize that Starr was going to be getting kidnapped until a couple days ago. But it just makes sense. Poor her, though!**


	39. Chapter 39

_Keep a cool expression. They can't know anything's wrong. Stay natural. Don't let them find out that you're about to collapse into a nervous breakdown._ This was easier thought than done as Eli settled down to the ground next to Ana, who gave him a supportive smile. But he couldn't dwell on what he'd learned yesterday. Right now, he had a group of girls to address.

"I am pleased to announce that each of you will be participating in your first challenge as Elite," Eli said to the circle of girls sitting cross legged around him. Since cutting down his Selection by more than half, group meetings were much more comfortable and casual. "There is a special opportunity that only comes around every few Selections, and I believe it's one of the most telling challenges."

"Do you want to tell us what it is, or are you just going to hype it up?" came Reina's annoyed voice from the back of the circle.

Eli sighed heavily. "I was getting there, stormcloud. Hold your horses." Reina rolled her eyes, and Eli couldn't help but feel a rush of endearment towards her.

"In one week, we will be holding a mock United Nations," Eli announced. "As all of you hopefully know, the United Nations has been a major source of worldwide peace since before World War III. They are an integral part of the government, just as the future Queen will be. Thus, we would like to see just how well you handle yourselves in a situation where you are bargaining and working with other countries."

There was an array of reactions. Reina, for one, looked more disgusted than ever. Eli had expected her to be somewhat opposed. On the other hand, Vela was looking excited. Of all the girls, Eli pegged her to be the closest to a political animal. This challenge was going to be right up her alley.

"Do we get to pick our own countries?" came a smooth voice. Eli looked over to see Sofie examining her fingernails. "Because, if so, I lay claim to New France."

Eli chuckled. "I was going to get there, but yes. You may have New France. Now, everybody else can choose their own country as well. Hopefully there won't be much, if any, overlap. Yes, Vela?"

"I'd like to represent South Africa, please," she said confidently.

"Of course," Eli replied graciously.

In the end, there were no arguments. Viv chose Italy, Lia chose the United Kingdom, Reina chose Russia, Ana chose Australia, Gigi chose Switzerland, Tricia chose India, Ava chose Norway, and Sage chose Morocco. Eli himself would be standing in for Illea, so a good majority of the world was going to be spoken for.

In all honesty, he was excited for the challenge. It would be a refreshing dash of normalcy in the melting pot of danger that was his Selection. No aspect of this was going anywhere near the way that he'd planned. He remembered the first day he'd told his family, so full of hopes and dreams that were only going to be crushed.

But it was worth it. As he stared at his girls, his beautiful girls, he felt a warmness envelope his heart. So many unique personalities, even if not all of them were pleasant at all times. What would he do without Reina's mischievousness, or Sofie's charisma?

The girls turned to chat amongst themselves, and Eli decided that his work there was done. There was a meeting he had to be there soon. He was getting up to leave, when suddenly, a small hand tapped his shoulder.

"Ava," he remarked happily. "What's up?"

She pulled at a strand of hair that had fallen into her face. "I just wanted to say that I lost the map of the castle that you had made for me, but it doesn't matter." She took a deep breath. "Because I was able to find my room yesterday with no help from the maids, all the way from the Dining Hall."

Eli broke into a grin. "That's incredible, Ava," he said sincerely. "Soon enough you'll be able to find your way to every room in this castle."

Her grin wavered, then fell completely. "It had better be soon," she mumbled, "I've been here for four months and I'm still mixing up the East and the West Wing."

With a soft click of his tongue, Eli pulled Ava into his arms. "It's ok, love. Don't worry. I'll be there to help you out. I don't care if you get lost walking from one end of the room to the other."

"That sounds like something I'd do," Ava admitted, looking up at him with a quirky half smile. She pulled back and put a hand on his upper arm. "You know, you're being remarkably stalwart for such a situation as this."

"You don't know the half of it," he replied with a small chuckle.

But Ava didn't laugh. Her eyes were filled with a wistful intensity as she traced her hand over his shoulder. "I know. It's just..." She paused. Eli could see her looking in her brain for a way to say what she wanted to. "You don't have to be optimistic all the time, Eli. It's ok to admit that you're scared or feeling lost."

Eyebrows crinkling, Eli asked, "Are you worried about me? Oh, Ava, you don't have to do that. Listen. I've been dealing with this sort of thing for as long as I can remember. I received my first death threat at the age of nine. _Nine._ Some bozo from northern Sonage that was high off his horse."

"What about your family?" Ava asked. "This must be worrying them out of their minds. Their son is being constantly threatened, their daughter is in the dungeon, and all while their house is being invaded by strangers."

Eli shook his head. "My parents have been through worse, as have my sisters. Back when I was about eight, my mother was expecting a fifth child. A son. Prince James Hanson Schreave was to be his name. He was stillborn. It broke my mother's heart. He would be 13 now. Not long after that, my mother's sister, Cecilia Tuckhader, ran away from the palace to "partake of a more elite and sophisticated company" over in England."

"More elite and sophisticated than the Royal family of Illea?" Ava asked with a wince.

"Right? And in the end, it didn't even work out for her. She was kicked out of England for invading and throwing an impromptu coronation for herself at the remains of Buckingham Palace. Came crawling back to Illea, but my mother sent her away. So she started a seafood restaurant in the middle of Fennley. Always was a crazy one, my aunt Cecilia," Eli said, frowning slightly. "Anyway, the point is, my family can handle ourselves, and I can handle myself. You're sweet to worry, honest you are. But you're supposed to be having fun."

"I am, Eli," Ava said earnestly. "I just hope you are as well."

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Eli lay face up in his bed, contemplating the first day of the Elite. Contemplating his aunt Cecilia. Contemplating his little brother. When he came to think of it, he really had gone through a lot in his life. A lot of times people assumed that because he was the Prince, he was immune to hardships. This was simply not the case.

Lovely Ava. He appreciated her kindness. Out of any of the girls, she was by far the sweetest to him. Not to say that the others weren't. But Ava always went above and beyond. He was ecstatic that she'd come to the castle.

The realization came back to hit him. He had narrowed his choices down considerably. One of the girls he'd picked was his wife. He knew them well, he knew who had a good chance of winning. That was her. That was who he would hopefully spend the rest of his life with.

At least that was one bright spot to his week. Between the death threat, the kidnapping of his friend, and the imprisonment of his sister, things were not going particularly well for him.

 _Nothing major worries me. For the most part, I imagine I'll have smooth sailing._ The thoughts he'd had as he announced his Selection to his family came back to taunt him. How could he have been so stupid?

A banging noise sounded on his wall. "Go to sleep, idiot," came Brinley's muffled voice from the room next door. "Your obsessive overthinking is keeping me awake."

Sighing, Eli stopped his tossing. Though he wouldn't admit it to her, Brinley had probably just kept him from another sleepless night. She was right. He had to table his concerns and focus on staying well enough to combat whatever challenge the next day would bring.

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 **I'm the worst, I know. I can't keep to schedule for the life of me. Ah, to go back to the good old days when I had a new chapter every day. But with things as tense as they are now, I can't rush it. And if anybody was concerned about the lack of drama lately, DON'T YOU WORRY. I have something big cooked up for after the families visit and the U.N. plays out. It's gonna be good. I won't give much away, but I will spill that Reina and Sofie are going to be having their biggest fight yet. So excited!**

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 **Also, just a note, I changed the deadline Eli has to shut down his Selection from two months to three weeks because that seems more believable. K, now I'm done, see you guys on Wednesday!**


	40. Chapter 40

It was a dream, Lia knew it was a dream. The vague surreality was a hazy representation of the real world, but the distortion of the view in front of her was enough to tell Lia that nothing was as it seemed.

She took a few tentative steps, unsure of whether or not this would shape up to be a good dream or a nightmare. The flowers at her feet wilted, sighing away from each step she trod. Above her, the sky was darkening quickly.

Definitely a nightmare.

There was a man, a dark figure standing in the midst of a grove of trees up ahead. Lia couldn't make out the details of what he looked like. She didn't intend to go any closer, but to her chagrin, she could not keep herself from being pulled towards him.

You know who I am, came a supernatural, almost ethereal voice. It floated in Lia's ears, soft and sweet, yet blaring at the same time.

"Father," came the strangled noise from her throat. She stared at the man in front of her, a man with no expression to his face, a man with pits where his eyes should have been. A foreign, eerie concept-yet Lia couldn't help the feeling of familiarity that sprang in her chest as she sized him up.

 _It's been so long, my dear._

He lumbered towards her, his limbs gaunt and terrifying. He was suddenly ten feet tall, then twenty, then thirty, and he kept on growing.

 _Too long._

She woke up in a cold sweat, clutching at her pillow. As far as nightmares went, that was by far one of the worst.

She didn't know why she was so terrified to meet her father. It wasn't as if he were some crazed demon like the one she had just seen. He was normal. A regular business man. And more than that, he was her blood family.

So why did the whole situation seem so wrong? Why was she dreading seeing him tomorrow? Perhaps it was due to the fact that her mother had been so desperate to leave him all those years ago.

Her mother.

Her mother was coming to the palace that day as well, along with Robert and Lucas. What would they think when they saw him prancing about the corridors like some cruel joke by fate? What would he say when he saw her mother?

She couldn't worry about that now. She tried to get back to sleep, but it wouldn't claim her. She laid awake and stared at the ceiling for hours, worrying and imagining a million different scenarios in her mind. Some of them weren't as disastrous as others, but for the most part, they were excruciating to think about.

When the first rays of the sun finally poked through her window, she was worn out. It was time for her to face what she had been dreading.

"I beg of you, take as much time as you see fit," she urged her maids as they began to dress her. They glanced at each other, but nodded silently. The outfit today was a rather plain one, in her opinion. But it didn't matter what she wore. Her father wouldn't be any less intimidating in a beige dress than a neon pink dress.

The walk down to the Great Room was one of the longest, yet unbearably shortest of her life. The other Selected girls had been ecstatic about their families visiting. Ava's parents and brothers were flying in all the way from Yukon; Viv's adopted mother figure was coming from Ottaro; and even Tricia was excited about her father and siblings visiting. Lia had been ecstatic about her mother, stepfather, and half brother coming. But with the recent turn of events, it was safe to say that she would have rather they stayed at home.

The sounds of joyful chatter reached her ears as she neared the Great Room. It was all Lia could do not to turn and bolt back to her room. With a trembling hand, she opened the door.

Eli was there, his face bright. "Lia, come on in. Your entire family is here, your father, mother, stepfather, little brother, everyone. Isn't that great?"

"Excellent," Lia managed to choke out. "Simply superb."

Eli's eyes narrowed as he sized up her reaction. But if he was going to say something, it was lost to his own mind. Lia felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around to see her mother, beaming.

"Hello, darling," she said ecstatically, pulling her daughter into a tight embrace. Lucas danced at her feet, giggling wildly.

"Lia's here, we're at the palace, and Lia's here," he called to anybody that would listen. "Lia's here, Lia's here, Lia's here."

Despite the feeling of impending disaster, Lia felt her heart lighten a touch at Lucas's enthusiasm. "Hello, my little dolphin," she said, scooping him into her arms. "How have your swimming lessons been going?"

"He's pretty much a master," Robert admitted, stepping out from behind Lia's mother. "By this time next month he'll be able to swim across the entire ocean."

Before Lucas could answer, though, a deep and rumbling voice came from behind the group. "What a precious little boy," remarked a tall, sharp featured man. As Lia looked him up and down, she had a sinking suspicion who it was.

"Markus," her mother breathed.

"Hello, Eileen," he said with a smile. "My goodness, the years have treated you well. You look just as beautiful as the last time I saw you." He nodded in Robert's direction. "It's obvious you've been taking good care of them. Many thanks, good sir."

Robert nodded, eyebrows contorted in confusion.

Markus turned to face Lia, taking her hands in his. "And this can't be my little Dahlia. Why, in my head, you are still three years old, darling. Now you're a young woman with beauty and grace to rival a Queen. How fitting." He winked at her.

"Hello, father," Lia said quietly. "It's good to finally meet you."

Her father shook his head. "How awful that we had to formally meet each other instead of growing up together. Hopefully, we'll be able to make up for lost time. Eileen, if I may, I'm going to steal Lia away for a moment." He paused for a moment. "And don't worry. Unlike you, I'll return with her."

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"It's strange to see her looking so happy, isn't it?" Sage asked Gigi, who was sitting across from her. The two of them had been gazing over at Reina, who was wrapped in her mother's embrace, the expression on her simply blissful.

Gigi nodded. "A very different Reina than the one we know and sometimes love."

"The one we know and mostly just tolerate."

"The one we know and occasionally detest."

Sage chuckled. In truth, Reina had endeared herself to the others. Well, most of the others. There was still a current of underlying tension between her and Sofie, but Sage assumed that the worst of their petty fight was over. Hopefully the two could keep it together, if not for themselves, but for the sake of Eli.

"Where's your dad?" Gigi asked, looking around.

Sage sighed. "He went over to get himself a drink. For the fifth time in ten minutes. Honestly, if it was allowed, he would carry bottles of wine around the castle."

"Everybody grieves in their own way," Gigi said matter of factly. "Occasionally we give our loved ones space to work through whatever nasty feelings are plaguing them. Better to feel the sting of ointment than let the scratch kill you."

"Gigi."

There was a girl standing behind Gigi, with hair dyed a sort of yellow-blonde. Her makeup was intense and dramatic, seeming to glare at Sage. A tight fitting red dress hugged her figure, with slits in the side and a neckline so low it practically reached her waist. She wore a set of sparkly white six inch heels.

The cloudy expression that usually swarmed Gigi's face lifted ever so slightly. "Bunny Knowles. How on earth did you ever get here to the palace?"

"Easy," Bunny explained, snapping her gum and looking at her nails, "I flew out here and told the head advisor that I was your sister. When he didn't believe me, I gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. That's why I was late, so sorry."

Sage's face was white. She stood suddenly, accidentally knocking over her chair in the process. "I'm Sage Marson," she said quickly, forcing a wide smile. "You must be Gigi's roommate. I've heard all sorts of things about you." Her hand extended towards the other girl.

Bunny gave a small chuckle. "Believe me, you don't want to touch this hand. But it's nice to meet you, anyway." She turned and blew a kiss at Gigi. "On that note, I'm going to go wash up before breakfast. Be back soon."

Watching her walk away in a quiet awe, Sage looked over at Gigi. "That's your roommate?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Gigi snorted. "Her name is Bunny. What did you expect?"

"I guess that's true," Sage agreed. A thought crossed her mind. "How on earth did you ever meet her?" she wondered incredulously. "I mean, you don't come across girls like that every day."

"You certainly don't," Gigi mused. "The circumstances under which Bunny and I met were unlikely to say the least. You see, when I was 15, I was forced into the same sort of work that she specializes in. The relationship that I had with my employer was abusive and controlling. I needed to get out of it. So one night, I ran away to Waverly. I was out on the street one night when Bunny found me. She helped me change my identity, erase any part of myself that was traceable. It's a complex relationship, but she's as close to family as I've gotten."

"That...is quite something," Sage remarked. "You know, if you ever need a place to stay, you are more than welcome to come and live with me. My dad's out for most of the day, and I would love to have a distraction in the house other than the dogs."

Gigi was about to answer, when the doors to the Great Room flew open. The two girls glanced over in shock, intrigued as to who-or what-could have made such an entrance.

A thunderous man stood in the threshold. He was a giant, with a sickly beard straggling on his chin. His clothes were covered in dirt and blood, as well as his hands. A look of wild rage was present in his eyes as he scanned the room intently.

"Where is Regina Edwards?" he asked, his voice tight.

Sage glanced at Gigi out of the corner of her eye. The girl's face had become as white as her hair, and she clutched the table tightly. Both of them knew it was only a matter of time before the man found her. Gigi, with her brilliant snowy hair and golden eyes, wasn't exactly adept at blending in.

His eyes alighted on her at last. A blazing hot fury awoke in his expression as he took several lumbering steps toward her. "You thought you could just run away from me?" he hissed, his ruggedly attractive face morphing into something much scarier and deadly than before.

"I did it once," Gigi said, her face, as always, unreadable. Her husky voice cut through the tense silence of the room. "With a man as dumb as you, I didn't have to do much. Walking in a zigzag pattern could probably do the tri-"

Before she could finish her taunt, the man grabbed her by her arms and shook her violently. "I'll kill you," he seethed. "I'm here to kill you. Then you won't be able to run away from me anymore."

Sage felt fear stab her heart. Was she truly about to witness a murder? Not Gigi, not one of her only friends. Across the room, she saw Eli looking around frantically. It was obvious that this man had just been on a violent spree. The guards outside the room were unconscious and on the ground.

"Put her down," Eli cried. "I'm armed. There's a gun in my pocket, and I'm not afraid to use it."

Both Sage and the man knew it was a lie. He continued shaking Gigi, barely batting an eye at Eli's threat. Time was running out, another few seconds and Gigi would be dead. Eli seemed to be seriously considering throwing himself into the action, when something unexpected happened.

A blocky, sparkly white heel clocked the man in the back of his head with surprising force. He froze, and Gigi collapsed to the ground. Eli rushed desperately to her side as the shoe struck the man in the back of the head once more. He sank to his knees, the force of the blow having knocked him into a stupor.

"Honestly," Bunny complained, taking a step back, "I leave the room for one minute."

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 **Yay! The families are here! I'm going to try to include as many interactions as possible with them with as many different girls as I can fit. And by the way, I know nobody was wondering, but Lia's father looks like Mark Consuelos, and if any of you watch Riverdale, he's very similar to Hiram Lodge in his mannerisms. Also GIGI NO MY CHILD! Luckily Bunny showed up with her shoes or else Gigi would be dead. Can't have that, no thanks. Chapter 41 is in the works right now, I think I'll finally be able to stick to schedule!**


	41. Chapter 41

The sunny day from earlier had turned a melancholy overcast, draping the castle in a fortress of gloom. Maids dominated the corridors, escorting wounded guards to the infirmary, cleaning up the mess in the Great Room, and comforting other girls in distress. The entire palace reeked of pure, utter misery.

Most of the Elite were in their own rooms by now. Some had moved to stay with each other. Vela and Ana were hunkered down with each other, as well as Sofie and Sage. Eli had a suspicion that Ava, Tricia, Lia, and Viv were together, too. As for Reina, she had maintained that she could look after herself.

Eli was now lying in his bed, Gigi curled up at his side. Her head rested gently on his shoulder, one delicate hand laying limply against his chest. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her in a firm embrace. The rise and fall of her chest was calming, like listening to ocean waves.

After the incident was over, it had been a madhouse. People were screaming, running all over the place. Alarms had blared, guards hustling in and out of the room. Medics from the infirmary had swarmed the Great Room and the surrounding halls, tending to fallen guards and maids.

In all the confusion, it hadn't been difficult for Eli to take the barely conscious Gigi in his arms and battle through the sea of people. They'd stopped at the infirmary for a check up, and when the medics had cleared her an hour later, he'd snuck her away to his room for some peace and quiet.

She looked serene now, almost as if she hadn't come within inches of death. There were bruises on her neck and arms, and a cut on her lips was still bleeding a little. But if one ignored those things, she seemed perfectly alright.

He wanted so badly to stay here the rest of the day, avoiding everybody else, keeping Gigi safe and secure. But there were other people he needed to see and comfort, people he couldn't just ignore.

Slowly, he disentangled himself from Gigi. She took in a soft hiss of air, but then settled back into the comfort of the mattress. The enormous size of the bed made her look tiny in comparison, and Eli felt a rush of tenderness. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss into her hair, then drew the covers up around her shoulders.

"Rest, darling," he murmured.

Then he slipped out of his room and began to make his way down the stairs. Where should he stop first? He wanted to check in with Ana and Vela, but perhaps Sofie and Sage were closer? No, they were right across the hall from each other, he could head to Ana's, then see the other two.

Ana Alvarado. Vela Elliot. Both so similar, and yet incredibly different. They were free spirits, with courage and vigor that would make the oldest veteran soldier jealous. Strong minded women were the type that became Queens. Much like his sisters, or his mother.

He knocked softly on their door. Immediately, the sounds of loud chatter on the other side ceased. Loud footsteps came closer and closer to the door. When it flew open, Eli was surprised to see a tall black man with furrowed eyebrows answer. "Who are you and what do you want?" he asked gruffly.

Eli took a small step back, trying not to show how utterly terrified he was. "Well, uh, sir, I was just popping by...must have gone to the wrong room…"

It was then that a familiar face poked out from behind the man. Vela grinned enthusiastically at Eli, then hit the man's shoulder gently. "Dad, that's the Prince. As in your future King?"

The man's expression lightened significantly. "Oh. Well in that case, your majesty, I am very sorry," he mumbled. "Have to be on the lookout, you know. Just in case. Sure you understand, your majesty. Sorry."

Brushing off his shoulder, Eli grinned. "No problem at all, Mr. Elliot. Thank you for your attentiveness." He glanced past Vela and her father. "Wow. You two have got a party going on in here."

Ana waved at him from the table where she sat, a deck of cards in her hands. Besides her, there were two older women, presumably the girls' mothers, six maids, a man that had to be Ana's father, and a girl just about Brinley's age that looked like a miniature Vela.

"You must be the rest of the family," Eli concluded, stepping towards the group. "I'm Prince Elias, but uh…" he trailed off with a slight laugh. "You probably knew that."

Ana smiled and stood to come and greet him. "We were just getting friendly while we waited for the guards to finish sweeping the castle. I take it they're finished?"

"No, actually," Eli dead panned, "I walked the full length of the castle during a full palace shut down while hundreds of armed guards ran at full force along the corridor. Yes, they're finished. You can come out now if you want."

Glancing at Ana, Vela replied, "I don't know. We're actually having a lot of fun here. Maybe we'll just stay until dinner."

"Would you like to join us?" came the small, sweet voice of Vela's little sister. Eli remembered her telling him about her. Cleo was her name, and reportedly, she was head over heels in love with him.

He winked at her. "I'd love to, kiddo, but I have some other people I need to go and see. Maybe I'll stop by once I'm done with that." Turning to the adults and maids, he dipped his head respectfully. "I'm so sorry that your stay at the palace started with something as terrible as this."

Just as he was about to walk through the door, Ana caught his arm. "Have you come any closer to a decision about... _you know who?_ " she asked in a low voice.

Eli's head began to spin. "No. No, I've barely had time to think about that at all. What with the United Nations challenge coming up, coordinating things for visiting families, and now Gigi-" his voice broke off as a lump rose in his throat. "I haven't put any more consideration into whether to end the Selection, sacrifice myself or let Starr be killed. It's not the sort of decision I'm used to making."

"I know," Ana replied, her eyes soft. "Just...keep it in your head. Three weeks isn't that far away." She leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss against Eli's cheek. "And please be safe."

Despite everything, he managed to smile down at her. Through all the recent trials he'd gone through, Ana had been his rock. She'd pushed him to be better and to remember what was most important. There was no way he'd ever be able to thank her enough.

He slipped through the door, ready to move on to a different room. He supposed he could go see Sofie and Sage now, but something told him to skip them for now and head further down the hall. He let his feet guide him, walking past Tricia's room, where she, Ava, Lia, and Viv were staying. All the way down to the last door on the right.

He knocked softly, then fidgeted with his hands. His relationship with Reina had been tense ever since he'd sentenced her to kitchen duty in late December. He'd kept her in the Selection only because he wanted her to mature; he saw the potential in her to become a great leader.

And he was also a little bit in love with her, there was that.

When she opened the door, a look of surprise crossed her face. "Eli," she said, "what a welcome supri-"

Before she could finish, Eli had wrapped her in an enormous hug. Reina stiffened, not quite used to such blatant affection from him. Eli realized it had been a while since he'd talked one on one with her. That would need to change.

" _Malysh?"_ came a frail voice. "Is this your Prince?"

Letting go of the embrace, Reina nodded. She turned to face an older woman wrapped in a headscarf. "This is Eli, Mama," she said happily, a glint in her eyes.

Eli was taken aback at just how _happy_ Reina seemed. With her mother at the palace, it was like he was looking at a whole new person. The cruel undertones of her face had vanished, and instead her expression was soft.

"It's very good to meet you, Madam," Eli said, taking Reina's mother's hand and kissing it gently. "Very good indeed."

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 **I have several announcements to make, but before we get there SQUEEEE GIGI AND ELI. SQUEEEE ANA AND ELI. SQUEEEEEEEE REINA AND ELI! This whole chapter was just so fluffy, I love it. I'm so happy that Reina and Eli are back on good ground again. But announcement number one: I just started a new SYOC! It's pretty cool, in my opinion, look for 'The Second Choice'. It's loosely based off of Sleeping Beauty, so don't panic if the beginning is SUPER cheesy. Announcement number two: If you haven't read '10 Endings to the Crown that would have been better than what actually happened', I suggest you do so IMMEDIATELY. Legitimately the funniest thing I have read in ages. Pringle and I were reading them in the library yesterday and we almost got kicked out for laughing so hard. Anyway that's it BYE BYE**


	42. Chapter 42

Reina stood at the edge of the Angeles airport, watching her mother walk through the courtyard to the limousine. She had been determined not to cry in front of the other girls, but so far her resolve was failing miserable.

"Goodbye, Mama," Reina called, dabbing at her cheeks angrily with her handkerchief. "Safe travels."

Rather than respond verbally, Jeneve turned and raised a hand in farewell. Her wild blonde-gray hair, so similar to Reina's own, was tucked back under a traditional Russian headscarf. She blew one last kiss towards her daughter before facing the limo and mounting the steps. Then she was gone, disappeared behind the solid walls of the car.

"It's alright, Reina," Gigi mentioned demurely, "we don't care if you cry." She was wrapped in a long white coat, snow white hair pulled up in a loose ponytail. Though it was already the middle of March, the weather had dropped drastically the past week.

Sniffing, Reina replied, "Well, _you_ might not care. But I'm pretty sure Sofie over there has been watching for any trip up I make."

Gigi reached over and flicked a tear from Reina's cheek. "If she thinks that crying is a chink in your armor, she's even dumber than she makes herself seem. Vulnerability is integral to happiness."

"Says you," Reina said scornfully, "I don't even think you have tear ducts."

Cracking a small smile, Gigi replied, "As a very wise woman once said, 'every spring will one day run dry.' You should feel lucky that your tears haven't been overused to the point of breaking."

Reina shook her head. "When did you get so wise?"

"Childhood trauma will do that to you," sighed Gigi. "Let's just say I was forced to grow up very quickly."

The girls stood in solemn silence, watching the car run down the driveway as only a royal car could. Trucks and low quality commercial vehicles occasionally drove past Reina's house, but none compared to the sleek power of those owned by the King and Queen. Soon it was down the street, disappearing out of sight.

"Come on Reina," Gigi urged, taking her arm, "Let's head inside with the rest of them. Eli said dinner would be waiting after our families left. I think that you need a good meal more than anything right now."

They began to follow everybody else, Gigi's arm still tucked comfortably in Reina's. The girls walked in silence for a ways, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Reina," came a sugary voice. The girls spun to see Sofie, her face red and blotchy. "I-I wanted...wanted to say-"

"Say what?" Reina snapped. "Can you hurry? We don't have all day, you know."

For a moment, Sofie's face hardened. She glowered at Reina, seeming to grow an inch taller in her disgruntlement. However, before she could lash out, she took a deep breath and composed herself again. "I was going to say that I am sorry for all the times that I've been rude to you."

"Well, you're a pompous bit-wait, what?" Reina asked, hesitating in the moment of disbelief created by Sofie's ludicrous statement.

Sofie hung her head. "I...I'm sorry for the way that I treated you. I know I can be a stuck up brat a lot of the time. But I've said some horrible things about you and I wish I hadn't."

"I wish you hadn't either, you pig," Reina snapped before she could think about her words.

Immediately, Sofie's eyes filled with tears. "What?" she screamed. "I'm trying to apologize and you just insult me?" She slapped a hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. She stayed this way for a few moments before regaining her composure. "Never mind," she articulated matter of factly. "I see you're just as immature and heartless as I knew you were all along."

"That's it," Reina seethed, whipping her head around. The fire in her chest propelled her away from Sofie, down the hall and towards her room.

"Reina," came the distant voice of Gigi. For a moment, Reina considered turning back. Gigi was wise. Perhaps what Reina was about to do was foolish.

She waited for her friend to catch up. Gigi was scowling, an expression Reina didn't see often on her face. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "How could you screw that up? That was your chance at making amends."

"Did you hear what she said to me?" Reina growled, gesturing wildly at Sofie. "Do you really expect me to just let that go?"

Raising an eyebrow, Gigi replied, "No. But you know what I did expect? I expected you to stop antagonizing Sofie for once during your three month stay here. I expected that for once you could contain yourself well enough to mend what you broke. I expected….more. I expected more from you."

"But she was the one that said those awful things about me," Reina whined, though she could clearly hear how pathetic she sounded.

Gigi scoffed. "You don't need me to tell you how your conversation got so heated in the first place. I don't know what's up with you, but you need serious help." And with that, she turned and stalked down the corridor.

"Fine," Reina spat. She yanked open the door to her own room and slammed it behind her. The force rattled the walls, skewing the photo of Reina and her mother that hung on the wall.

There was only one way to end this situation. Reina couldn't bear seeing Sofie around the palace halls anymore, prancing about as if she already owned the place. It was time to make sure that Sofie necer became queen.

Making her way over to her desk, Reina picked up a small camera. There was a strip of tape on the back, peeling slightly at the edges. Written in gold sharpie was a name. Not Reina's name. It said, 'Ana Alvarado,' in neat, printed handwriting.

 _Walls are pretty thin in this wing,_ Ana had said the fateful night she'd blackmailed Sage into exploring the palace. Reina certainly agreed. She had heard the entire exchange between Sofie, Sage, and Cole, as well as the fact that Ana had caught it all on video.

It hadn't been difficult to swipe the camera while the girls were gone exploring. Now all she had to do was bring it to Eli, show him the confessions of love, and Sofie would be gone for good.

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"How are you doing today, Sof?" Sage asked, taking a seat next to her friend at the desk. She grabbed a strawberry tart and began to take small bites. Breakfast food was not her favorite, but she'd made a promise to come and grab a bite before dinner.

"Mph," came Sofie's muffled reply. The girl had her head buried in her arms, her long golden tresses not even brushed.

Sage sighed and ran a hand through her friend's hair. She had known Sofie long enough to know when she having a hard day. While most would assume that she was simply tired, Sage knew that the girl still hadn't made up with Cole. It had been months since she'd caught them together in her room. Since then, their relationship had been cold and professional. It was almost as if they were strangers, despite the knowledge that Sage possessed.

It was obvious. Sofie was too scared to tell Cole the way she felt because of...well, everything. The Selection, the fame, the stigma, the fear of rejection. And Sage didn't know the bodyguard that well, but from what she'd seen, Cole was a very proud person. She didn't expect he would come clean to Sofie any time soon. Besides, he wanted to help her.

But it was killing them. And Sage didn't know how to stop it.

"I'm sick of this," Sofie groaned, lifting her head up from her arms. "I'm sick of the Selection. I'm sick of Eli. I'm sick of this stupid fight. I'm sick of people thinking I'm just the token idiot 2 model."

"I know," Sage said, sitting and stroking her friend's hair.

"I'm not going to be Queen. I know that. Eli and I are friends, but we're not going to get married. So what am I doing here?" Sofie complained as she threw her hands in the air in defeat.

"Well, you haven't had any anxiety attacks in the last few months," Sage reminded her.

"Because life is so dreadfully dull that there's nothing to worry about," Sofie argued. "Nothing except...well...you know." She slumped in her chair.

"I know," Sage soothed. "Now come on. Get up. It's time for dinner."

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Dinner had become much more of a comfortable time since beginning the Elite. It was a place where the girls could relax and unwind after the duties of that day. They were all relatively friendly at this point, some more than others. Reina and Sofie still glared at each other from across the table sometimes. But always Eli was there to lighten the mood and bring laughter to the room.

Today, however, the Prince seemed tight lipped and brooding. Sofie assumed it was due to the constant chaos that still encircled his life even months after it had all began. The Illean police were stumped. Stella was still in prison. It all seemed hopeless.

"Pardon me, everyone," he said suddenly. "But I need to speak with Sofie outside."

Her heart missed a beat. "Wh-what?" she stammered, almost choking on her food. "What about?"

"We'll discuss it outside," Eli responded cryptically as he stood and brushed several crumbs off his pants. There was no amusement, not even a hint of a smile on his face. Sage patted Sofie's hand comfortingly.

"I'm sure it'll be OK," she assured her.

Sofie nodded uncertainly.

Once they were out of the room, away from the scrutiny of the others, Eli seemed to collapse in on himself. "I never thought that I would have this conversation," he admitted. "Especially after all the other crazy things going on. I thought you would all be protective of me and of my feelings."

"What are you talking about?" Sofie demanded.

Eli whipped to face her, a glowing anger pulsing in his eyes. "How long have you been sleeping with your bodyguard?"

Sofie gasped. "I haven't. Ever. How could you accuse me of something like that?"

"I saw a recording today. Of you confessing your love of Cole. And of him confessing his love for you. Clear as day," Eli explained. He threw his hands in the air in frustration. "Well? Anything to say for yourself?"

"When was the video taken?" Sofie asked quietly.

Eli groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't remember. Since you've come to the castle.

"I'm sorry, Eli," Sofie said, her voice even softer than before. "I didn't mean to hurt you. But you have to believe me-I've never slept with him. I haven't even...I haven't even told him."

Eli shrugged. "Great. I don't care. If you love him, there's no hope for us, is there?"

"I don't know if there ever was."

He sighed deeply. "You'll go home tomorrow. Pack your things tonight and be ready to get on a plane first thing tomorrow morning. You and Cole both," Eli instructed her, unable to meet her eyes.

Sofie turned to leave, then hesitated. "I know you'll be a great King, Eli," she said. "And whoever you choose will make a marvelous Queen. Good luck."

And then she walked away, not taking a second glance at Eli. She was too preoccupied with the thoughts of what could be waiting for her when she reached her room. More specifically, who. _He loves me,_ she thought. The phrase repeated itself over and over again in her head, blocking any other thought or question. She didn't wonder when the recording had been taken. She didn't care who had showed it to Eli.

When she turned the corner to the final home stretch, she saw him. He was leaned against a wall, looking despondently at the ceiling. Seeing him there stopped Sofie in her tracks. He was beautiful, a work of art. And he was hers.

"Cole," she choked out, a high and longing sound that could have carried through the whole castle.

He turned to face her, and for a moment, Sofie was worried that the anger and coldness would remain.

Instead, he approached her gently. His hair was unruly and unkempt; it fell into his eyes as he came closer. As Sofie examined his face, she could tell that he'd been crying. A tear slipped down his cheek, but he made no move to wipe it away. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were filled with passion and resolve and something else that was foreign to Sofie.

"Cole," she repeated, more of a plea than before.

He didn't respond, simply drew her into his arms and held her there. His scent washed over Sofie and she relished the peace that bloomed in her chest. This was where she belonged. This was where the worry and fear and doubt died.

She felt his hands entwine her hair, then move to run down her back. Sofie couldn't control herself anymore. She let the tears come freely. "I'm sorry, Cole," she whispered hoarsely. "I'm so sorry."

He pulled back, still clutching her shoulders. He was crying. "Me too," he told her, his voice softer than she'd ever heard before.

Then he leaned down and kissed her.

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 **Hey what's up squad so i love when i drop off the face of the planet anyways i've got a new chapter! i'm also feeling inspired and ready to finish this up. I know a lot of people that read this back in the day aren't really active on this site anymore, but hopefully I'll get some new readers! drop a review and let me know what you think!**


	43. Chapter 43

"Lady Sofie has been eliminated," Eli announced when he reentered the Dining Hall. His mother let out a soft click of her tongue, and the rest of the girls also made shocked noises. Sage nearly choked on her food before covering her mouth with her napkin.

Nobody spoke the rest of dinner. Eli couldn't tear his gaze away from the plate in front of him. He didn't want to talk to his family, didn't want to talk to any of the girls.

Dear Illea, what was wrong with him? Sofie hadn't even been one of his first choices for the Elite. They had been friends, sure, but Eli didn't even think they'd kissed. If this was how he felt losing her, he couldn't imagine the pain of losing Vela or Gigi or Ana or-

Reina coughed. Eli looked up and took in her face. It was beet red, marred with an expression Eli had never seen on her before. Guilt. It was understandable, he supposed. In a way, it was Reina's fault Sofie was leaving.

And there was something else. He squinted, examining every aspect of her face. But as soon as the emotion had crossed her eyes, it was gone. Reina resumed her dinner, and Eli returned to his sulking.

After everyone had gone up to their rooms, Eli stood alone in the hall, staring at the place where he'd last seen Sofie. Her final words to him echoed in his mind. _I know you'll be a great King, Eli. And whoever you choose will make a marvelous Queen. Good luck._

Maybe he should end it all now. Ask one of the girls to marry him and send the rest away just like he'd sent Sofie away. It would be easy. Too easy.

He groaned as he remembered Starr. Lost and locked up and tortured. If he chose somebody, she would die. He didn't know-he didn't know anything. Not anymore. Why had he ever thought this would be a good idea?

"Eli," came Reina's familiar voice.

The Prince spun around, yanked from his thoughts. "Hey," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "What's going on?"

"I'm really sorry about Sofie," she said. "I am. I know how difficult this must be for you. I just wanted to let you know that we're all here for you if you need somebody to talk to. Or just be with. Whatever you need."

"Thank you, Reina," he said, nodding. He couldn't even force a grateful smile.

She made a move as if she were about to walk away, but instead hesitated. "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to say in my life."

Eli looked up, confused. "What, offering support and comfort to me?"

"No," Reina said with a deep inhale. "This."

A wave of fear crashed over Eli's chest. He found it very difficult to breathe. He knew with a sudden urgency that Reina was about to say something that would change everything. Forever.

"I didn't record the things on that camera," Reina said. "It was another one of the Selected. I don't know how. I think it...it must have just been an accident. Then I stole her camera. When I was going through the footage, I came across the recording. It wasn't what I made it sound like. Neither of them did anything wrong. I only edited it to make it seem like they were cheating."

For a long time, Eli didn't speak. He gazed at Reina with dull, unblinking eyes. Finally, he asked, "Why?"

"Because I was upset," Reina exclaimed, surprised as tears came to her eyes. "We got into another petty argument and I wanted her gone from the palace. She called me immature and heartless."

"So you manipulated everything to get her to leave." Eli leaned back against the wall, staring hopelessly at the ceiling. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed the tears down. He could feel Reina watching him with concern, Reina who had stolen a camera, Reina who had edited footage, Reina who had gotten an innocent girl kicked out of the palace because they'd fought. "Damnit," he whispered as a tear streaked down his face.

"Eli?" Reina asked.

"I'm not going to tell Sofie she can stay," Eli reasoned, talking more to himself than to Reina. "She seemed content when I told her she could leave. She can go back to Belcourt and marry her bodyguard and all that if she so chooses. It'll be better that way."

Then his gaze flicked down, his chocolate eyes pouring into Reina's. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

Relief flooded into her expression. "Eli, I-"

"You leave first thing tomorrow morning. At the same time as Sofie. 7 AM sharp. Pack your things tonight. I assume you won't be taking a plane due to the proximity of your house to the palace, so we'll arrange for a limousine to take you home." Eli said, flicking his eyes down to stare at his shoes.

Reina didn't answer. When Eli looked up, she was gone.

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That night, Queen Georgianna came into Eli's room.

The Prince was sitting on his bed, staring at his hands in his lap. His mother came and sat next to him, and she linked her arm with his. "How are you feeling after releasing Sofie?" she asked.

"Terrible," Eli answered. "Especially since in the end, it wasn't her fault."

"What do you mean?" Georgianna asked, raising an eyebrow.

So Eli explained to her what Reina had done. "And then she told me everything," he finished. "So I had no choice but to ask her to leave."

"I think your decision was wise, love," Georgianna said. "Reina, however beautiful or intriguing she may be, still has many years before she has matured into herself. She wouldn't have made a very good Queen, and she certainly wasn't right for you."

"Did Dad feel this terrible sending people home?" Eli asked.

"No," Georgianna answered truthfully. She stood from the bed and came to face Eli. Even while sitting, he was only a little bit shorter than her. But what Georgianna lacked in height, she made up for in fortitude. "But that just means that your capacity for love and empathy is acute and strong. That's a gift. Use it well."

She placed a kiss on Eli's forehead, then made her way out of the room.

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The next morning, Eli was out in the courtyard at 6:30 sharp. Two limousines awaited, one for each girl. Neither of them were here yet, however, both of them were being been woken up by maids at the moment.

Eli raised a cigarette to his mouth. It had been a couple years since he'd had one, but Gigi had recently convinced him to try it again. He couldn't say he enjoyed the sensation. But it kept the thoughts and tears at bay for a moment.

The first to walk out was Sofie. She was accompanied by her three maids, each holding a suitcase, Sage, who had been given special permission to see her off, and of course, Cole. By the way the two of them gripped each other's hand, Eli knew that things had been said last night.

They didn't stop to talk to him. He hadn't expected them to. Sage offered a quick smile, but kept her attention mostly on Sofie.

Eli kept his attention on the model and her bodyguard. He noticed the easy and natural way Sofie put her head against his shoulder as they walked towards their car. He watched wordlessly as Sofie and Sage embraced tightly, trying to read their lips as they said goodbye. He couldn't tear his eyes away from how gently Cole put his hand on Sofie's back as she got into the car.

But his attention was torn away by the second person to emerge from the castle. Reina came out with Gigi, neither girl speaking. There was only one small bag between the two of them. As before, they didn't make eye contact with Eli. It was a strange feeling of calm that he carried with him. As if he'd been crying but suddenly stopped.

Once both girls were safely in their cars, Eli tore his eyes away. He looked instead at Gigi, who was returning to come and stand next to him.

"Sucks, don't it?" she said, her voice low and husky as always.

He held out his cigarette and she accepted it.

The two of them stood beside each other, leaned against the castle, watching the limousines drive off. The smoke they made disappeared in the wind as the sun finally began to rise above the trees.

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 **Thanks for all the love on my return! I missed doing this so much. Also, I know this might have been a confusing chapter because it's been so long, but basically Reina lied to Eli and took all the blame of the recording onto herself (even though it was Ana who took it and used it as blackmail). It was basically just one last show of maturity. Gonna miss her and Sofie (and Cole), but we're narrowing the pool! I'm really excited about the ending I have in mind so stay tuned!**


	44. Chapter 44

**CW: Attempted suicide**

Vela twirled across the hardwood floor, the events of the Model United Nations still fresh in her mind. The expression of pride on the ambassador from South Africa had been one that Vela wouldn't soon forget. The success and exhilaration fueled her dance practice for that night. She found herself leaping higher, drilling herself until her moments were as precise and passionate as they could be.

Ana was out on a lunchtime walk right now, Princess Brooklyn probably at her side. The two girls had grown very close over the last few months. They all spent quality time together, but lately Brooklyn and Ana had been seeking time apart from Vela.

Not intentionally, she was sure. Brooklyn and Ana would never do that to her. Still, it hurt just a little bit whenever Ana refused her offer of a workout.

The final song of her set ended. Vela wiped the sweat from her brow, picked up the small music player, and headed out of the large, empty room that Eli had dedicated solely to her practice. It was generous, and more than she deserved, but there was no way she could ever pass up such a gift.

As she made her way back up to her room, she began humming along to the music that still rang in her head. Music filled her bones, echoed through her heart. The floating melody was bubbly and upbeat.

She wondered what the rest of her team was doing. Lyza was probably working on finishing her new album. The other backup dancers, Samantha and Trinity, were probably practicing just the same as she was. Pete, their drummer, was most likely hooking up with some hunk from the club. As for the rest, she could only imagine.

When she returned to her room, she threw all her things at the foot of her bed. She knew her maids would clean it up, and all she wanted to do right now was get into the shower and stay there until all the sweat and grime had collected on her body.

The water hitting her face was like stepping into a cold room on the hottest day of the year. Vela leaned into the pleasant feeling, closing her eyes and letting the streams of cool water drip down her body. It had been far too long since she'd let herself take a break and enjoy herself. It had either been work or dance or something else that was occupying her time.

She didn't want to leave the comfort of the shower, but soon it became clear she was wasting water and time. So she cut the flow and stepped into the steam filled room.

Her hair, pulled back into thick box braids, dried relatively quickly. At least it wasn't dripping water anymore by the time Vela exited the bathroom and collapsed onto her bed.

"Lady Vela," called her maid, "you've got someone here to see you."

"I'm in only a towel," Vela replied.

"Oh I don't think he'll care," her maid answered. "It's Prince Eli."

Before Vela could say anything in return, Eli had marched through her door and was standing before her. His cheeks hinted at rouge as he realized what she was wearing. Or, more specifically, what she wasn't wearing.

It didn't phase Vela, though. She was used to nudity after months on tour with Lyza. Besides, it was Eli.

"Well, stop gawking and have it out," she teased. "I'm guessing you didn't come all this way just to stare at me in a towel." She walked over to her closet, pulling out her silvery nightgown. She could still feel Eli's eyes on her, though found that she didn't care in the slightest.

He cleared his throat. "Right. Well, I was just thinking about everything and how...well, I haven't exactly been giving enough attention to each girl. It's difficult, but I could be trying a little harder than I currently am."

It was hilarious, Vela thought, to see her prince so flustered. It was a different Eli than the Eli she knew. The last few weeks had brought about a new Prince, a darker and sadder version of the man he had once been. For the moment, at least, he seemed to carry none of those burdens.

"And you know," Eli continued, "it's been hard for all of us. But I haven't forgotten about you guys. I just have so much going on all the time. Even a Prince needs a breather, I guess."

As he rambled, Vela had gotten a growing suspicion as to why Eli had come to her room. She noticed, to her satisfaction, that the maids had quietly left her chambers. Once she made sure nobody was lingering or hiding behind a piece of furniture, she turned her attention back to the Prince.

"A breather, you say," she mused, inching closer to him. His eyes dropped from her face to the towel, then snapped back up.

He bit his lip. "I guess so."

Slinking her arms around his shoulders, she pressed her body against his. "I think I could arrange something like that." She brought his face down to meet her own and caught him in a kiss.

Instantly, she felt his tense posture relax as he leaned into the kiss. His hands naturally found her waist. They'd kissed many times before but this...this was something new entirely. Vela felt a fire burning in her legs and working its way up her body.

Slowly, they moved towards Vela's bed. Her heart sped up in anticipation. Eli's hands were strong and guiding, far from the stuttering mess he had been when he walked in the door. Each kiss was like a firework in Vela's mind. In the intense moment, she leaned over and bit gently on Eli's ear.

From there it was a natural progression. Eli firmly set Vela on her bed, his hair falling in beautiful waves into his eyes. He climbed on top of her and she tore desperately at his shirt buttons. All the while they were kissing, kissing like the world was ending tomorrow.

Eli reached down to bury his lips in her neck. She shivered at the touch, tracing her fingers from his face down to his stomach. He let out a deep, guttural noise, then paused, his nose brushing her ear.

"I know that my mother's assissant said that you had to say yes to anything I asked," he breathed. "But I just want you to know that if you want, you can back out. I don't want to pressure you to do anything."

But Vela simply smiled and shook her head.

The towel fell, abandoned, onto the floor.

.

.

.

Reina was gone now. Gigi spent her days in the Women's room, hands moving up and down the grand piano. At first, the other girls had come and sang songs along with her, but now they mostly kept to themselves. Gigi's voice provided a background to which they could chatter.

It was down to seven of them. Tricia, Viv, and Ava were usually talking about some book they'd been reading. Vela and Ana didn't spend much time in the Women's room. More often they were off with Princess Brooklyn exercising or exploring the deepest reaches of the castle. Gigi didn't know exactly what they did and frankly, she didn't care.

Sage was the only one who was as alone as Gigi. She would sometimes join in on whatever discussions Ava, Tricia, and Viv would have. Sometimes she would come and sing a verse or two with Gigi. Her voice wasn't half bad, either.

But for the most part, she was outside in the stables with the dogs and horses.

She was the kind of girl Gigi had actively avoided when she went to school. However, there was something soothing about her soft brown eyes and gentle voice. Gigi knew she'd acted as a sort of confidant to Sofie when the model had still been at the palace. And with Sage's calming presence, it wasn't hard to see why.

It was cloudy today. In fact, it had been a few days since the sun had shone down on Angeles. Yesterday had been filled with sporadic showers but today was simply a dull anticipation as the billowing gray sky shifted above them.

As Gigi finished up with her last song, she slumped in her seat and stared through the window. The Women's Room was a few floors off the ground. High enough that someone could easily fall to their death.

There'd been rumors, of course. Even Gigi, cooped up in her apartment in the middle of a tiny Waverly town had heard them. A princess, only three years old, stretching to reach a flower on a nearby branch. A maid, tripping over an unfamiliar object in the middle of the night. A Selected girl, driven mad by the competition and the knowledge that the Prince could never be truly hers…

As she stared through those grand windows, the idle chatter behind her, a feeling overcame her thoughts. The sensation told her that she was no good. That she should quit now. Go back to the bar. Eli would never choose her to be his queen. Not after everything she'd said to him that night on Valentine's day.

" _I don't know if I can love the way you want me to be able to. I think I'm broken."_

Broken.

A perpetual state of an unnatural mix of apathy and paranoia. The knowledge that she could never truly matter. Not in the way that others did.

"Gigi," came a quiet voice from behind her.

The girl turned around to find Ava, her soft golden face twisted in concern. "Are you alright? You look unhappy."

"Me? Unhappy?" Gigi chuckled. "Never. You're dreaming."

Ava placed a hand on Gigi's shoulder. "Don't do anything you'll regret," she said, those long eyelashes flitting as her gaze dropped to the ground. She was like a deer, Gigi decided. Like a shy deer that only reared her head when the stars aligned. Beautiful and graceful, yet reclusive.

"I won't, darling," Gigi promised, though she grimaced as she used the pet name Miles had bestowed upon her all those years ago. Suddenly, images flashed through her mind. Reminders of the darkest days she'd gone through.

But instead of dwelling on that, she raised her head to smile at Ava. "Really," she assured, "you have nothing to worry about."

But even as Ava turned back to her friends, Gigi could tell she wasn't convinced. She didn't know if she'd convinced herself, either. Things were pretty bleak these days. She knew she wasn't the only one who'd noticed the sudden disappearance of Starr Fadaye. A rumor had circulated that the Report host had taken ill, but Gigi had other ideas. Eli had roamed the castle like a ghost since then.

And, speaking of ghosts, she found herself drifting like one towards the window. It was as though she were in a daze, the only semblance of normalcy the relief that she knew waited for her if only she could make it to the cloudy sky.

As she leaned against the ledge, a cool breeze tickled her face. A promise of what awaited her.

It was too easy to let go and feel herself, for a moment, tumble through time and space and memory. The burst of exhilaration as she realized that all this might soon be gone.

But as soon as that feeling had overtaken her, it was gone. She felt hands grip her shoulders, pulling her back and away from the world she'd been about to plunge herself into. Gigi found herself sprawled on the ground, surrounded by two desperately concerned faces.

"Gigi," Ava cried. "You were about to fall out the window." But the look in her eyes was enough for Gigi to understand that Ava knew it wasn't so innocent as a simple mistake.

Sage also crouched over her. But she said nothing, only reached down and ran a hand through the snow white hair that Gigi hadn't bothered to brush in days.

The two girls helped her to her feet, though even after she stood, they didn't leave her side. As her vision became clearer, Gigi realized that Tricia and Viv were staring helplessly from the other side of the room. " _Thanks for all the consideration,"_ Gigi's mind hissed nastily. But the girl pushed the thought away quickly.

"Why don't we go see a movie?" Ava suggested, wrapping her arm around Gigi's shoulders. The cinema was notably on the ground floor of the castle, but instead of resentment at the coddling, Gigi found herself overcome with gratitude.

Together, the three of them made their way out of the Women's room. Ava stayed silent, but her actions had spoken louder in the last few minutes than ever before. Gigi hadn't come across many people like her in her life, and she'd met many. There was something special about her, something that couldn't be replicated no matter how hard anyone tried.

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 **Well this story is rated T for a reason! I guess in terms of sex scenes this one was kind of tame. Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Well, enjoyed it as much as possible (POOR GIGI). Now enjoy a message from my friend who wants to be famous.**

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 **I like joe... JOE MAMA! get pranked**


	45. Chapter 45

After returning to his own room, Eli sat in silence for at least an hour. He could hear his servant, Stanley, working on something or other in the adjacent room, but his friend knew well enough not to disturb the Prince at certain times.

He thought about sending a note to Vela, then paused. What could he say? What was there to say after everything that had happened? He simply couldn't put his emotions into words.

He was about to daze into an early afternoon nap, when his door was pushed open. The sound jolted him out of his thoughts and back into the present. Stanley stood in the frame, his eyes wide and bewildered.

"Y-you…" he stammered, glancing about wildly. "You're going to want to come and see this."

As Eli and Stanley made their way through Eli's rooms, the Prince found himself wondering just what could have shaken Stanley so badly. The servant had spent thirty years at the castle, experiencing bandits and rebels and assassins and most recently, a serial killer. His panic was what raised Eli's heartbeat.

At the door were two guards, one tall with a mess of shaggy brown hair, one considerably shorter with distinctive brown eyes and a golden complexion. "Sir Tinsley," the taller one said by way of introduction. "And this is Sir Goldsworth."

The shorter one nodded in greeting, but kept silent. Eli took the opportunity to introduce himself. "I'm Prince Elias," he said, though as soon as the words had left his mouth, he realized how stupid they likely sounded. Of course they knew who he was, for heaven's sake. "Stanley said you have something to show me?"

Tinsley nodded, stepping solemnly into the room. He ushered Goldsworth to do the same. Once the two of them had entered, however, a third person appeared in the doorway. A person with a slim figure and long limbs. With cascading blonde hair that had become close to resembling a rat's nest.

"Starr," Eli said, his brain suddenly moving too quickly to think.

.

She crouched in Eli's armchair, staring numbly at a spot on the ground. In the few minutes she'd been there, Tinsley had gone to collect his wife, a nurse from the North Wing. Goldsworth had accompanied him, leaving Eli and Stanley alone with the shivering shell of a girl.

Eli went to his closet and pulled out a thick winter coat. He held it up for approval from Stanley, who shrugged and gestured to Starr. So Eli went and wrapped it around her shoulders. If she realized, she gave no indication.

He knelt down, putting his face at eye level with hers. "Where have you been, Starr?" he asked, more to himself than to her. She hadn't spoken a word since arriving at his room. In fact, she'd been almost completely unresponsive. It was such a change from the girl he knew, such a drastic difference from the spirited host of the Report all of Illea had come to love.

The door opening alerted Eli that the guards were back with the nurse. He turned around and nodded at them.

The nurse bustled over and knelt beside Eli. "Hello," he said, "I'm Eli."

"Sara," the girl answered promptly. "Can you tell me what's wrong with her?" At Eli's hesitant expression, she added, "You don't have to give me all the details. Just a vague story so I can figure out what needs to be done with her."

"She was kidnapped," Eli said. "And I'm assuming tortured. And she won't respond to anything I say or do. I'm worried they've done something terrible and...irreversible. Can you help her?"

After a moment of intense contemplation, Sara answered, "I'm going to need all you gentlemen to clear out and let me give the lady a bath."

.

It felt like forever. Tinsley and Goldsworth had returned to their positions after Eli assured them that they would be more of a hindrance than a help. He had promised that they would be thanked generously later for their service.

Stanley waited beside Eli silently. There wasn't much to be said. Thoughts and feelings were starting to rain down on Eli now that the initial shock was over. Where had she come from? How had she escaped? Was this a trap? He couldn't trust himself to think logically, so he decided to keep himself quiet.

Suddenly, the door clicked open behind him. Eli whirled to see Ana peeking through the crack. She smiled when they made eye contact.

"Can I come in?" she asked. "There's something kind of important that I need to talk to you about." But upon reading the solemn expression on Eli's face, her smile faltered.

"You can come in," Eli said, glancing around the hallway to make sure nobody was watching or listening, "but you can't breath a word of what you're about to learn to anyone. Not even Brooklyn. Especially not Vela. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Ana replied, her voice wavering slightly. She slipped into the room and looked around. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

Suddenly, a scream echoed throughout the chambers. High pitched and heart breaking. Eli made a move to dash toward the bathroom, but Stanley grabbed his shoulder.

"Let the nurse take care of her," the servant said forcefully.

Ana looked around in bewilderment. "Let the nurse take care of who?" she demanded. "Eli, what is going on? Why is there a girl screaming in your bathroom?"

Eli huffed. "Remember our _situation_?" he asked.

Ana's eyes widened. "Yes," she replied suspiciously. "I do."

"Well about fifteen minutes ago, two guards came and knocked on my door and told me they'd found someone in the basement of the castle, wandering hopelessly. Once they figured out who it was, they brought her up to me. It wasn't pretty. She's beaten badly and won't answer me when I talk to her."

"Just to clarify," Ana interjected, "we're talking about Starr, right?"

"Of course we're talking about Starr," Eli cried.

"What the hell?" Ana yelled. "What is happening? How did she get back here?"

"I don't know, she isn't speaking," Eli answered, panic creeping into his voice.

Ana rubbed her hands down her face. "We're going to die. Do you remember what the note said? They're going to kill you, Eli. And judging by the past, they're going to kill a bunch of other people, too. How are you not more freaked out right now?" She pressed her finger against his chest accusingly.

"Because I can't afford to worry. I need to keep my mind clear so that I can make sure that nothing terrible happens," Eli insisted. He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands through his hair. "What...what were you coming in here to tell me?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," she said swiftly.

Eli shrugged. He wasn't going to pester her about it. There were other things that were more pressing at the moment. Sara had just walked out of the bathroom, a roll of bandages in hand.

"I'm assuming you want her moved to the hospital wing," Sara said. Her dark, curly hair was tied up in a messy knot, her sleeves pulled up to her elbows. Though the sounds echoing from the bathroom were terrible and screeching, the nurse seemed to be relatively unphased.

"Yes," Eli said. "But please...can we be discreet about it?"

"There's no such thing as secrets in this castle," Sara replied, slinging a cloth over her shoulder, "but I'll do my best. You want to get your servant there to carry her?"

"Why not me?" Eli asked as Stanley moved to help the nurse.

Sara raised her eyebrow. "Thought you said you wanted to be discreet," she reminded him. "Won't do to have the Crown Prince carrying a half dead girl through the hallways."

Eli almost argued, but a hand on the shoulder from Ana calmed him back to resigned acceptance. "Very well. Stanley, please be careful with her."

Stanley saluted. "You have my word, your highness."

Ana linked her arm in Eli's and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Let's just hope that we'll be ready for whatever the maniac is going to throw at us after all this."

Eli could only nod in agreement.

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 **AHHHH STARR IS BACK, BABY. I'm literally so excited. Things are about to really get moving. And I think I've decided on the final ending! Also thx for all the love in the reviews 3**


	46. Chapter 46

When Vela walked into the Dining Hall the next morning, Tricia could immediately tell there was something different about her. Her lips kept tugging up into a self satisfied smile, her eyes twinkling with delight. She didn't say anything to Eli, only raised her eyebrows in his direction. He didn't seem to realize, though, as he was staring into his breakfast plate like his life depended on it.

"What's on her mind, do you think?" Tricia asked, nudging Viv.

The redhead startled as Tricia pulled her out her daze. "What?" she asked.

Gesturing at Vela, Tricia repeated, "Look at her. Tell me that's not the face of a girl that recently got laid."

"Do you think-" Viv began with a gasp.

"Honey, I know," Tricia replied confidently. "We just have to prove it."

"I really don't think we have to do that," Viv argued. She turned back to her breakfast and began to poke at the eggs and bacon that were starting to get cold. "I don't want to poke my nose in places it doesn't belong."

"Boring," Tricia said, rolling her eyes. But she leaned back in her chair, apparently appeased.

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Ava.

"Noth-" Tricia started to say, but Viv cut her off.

"We were wondering if Vela...you know...did it with Eli the other night," she explained as Ava's face turned a brilliant shade of crimson.

"Oh," was all the girl could choke out. "Oh, that's...I see." She promptly turned away and started talking to Sage and Gigi, who were chatting about the popularity polls that had come in the other night.

"So many people were rooting for Sofie," Sage mused. "It's a shame she had to go and find her true love." She had received a letter from her friend the other day that she had read out loud in front of the entire Women's Room. Sofie was doing well, she had settled back into her house in Belcourt and was officially dating Cole.

Ava nodded. "I'd rather be home with El-whoever my true love is than here in the castle were everyone can judge me and tell me I'm not qualified to be Queen. Sofie's lucky."

Tricia couldn't help but agree. It had been months since she'd seen her family and every day apart from them made her wish she was back in Fennley. She missed Aaron, she missed Miri, she missed her father, and she even missed her overbearing, workaholic of a mother. She thought of her four year old brother, his constant stories and jokes that made her laugh even when she was in the worst of moods.

She was not one of the people's favorites. That was fine. She wasn't here to please anybody except herself and maybe...maybe Eli. She knew there wasn't a large chance that she would become Queen. But still. It couldn't hurt to entertain the idea.

"Tricia Beaumont?" asked a messenger from the entrance.

Everyone looked up and stared at him. Slowly, Tricia stood from her seat. "That's me," she said, squinting at the man suspiciously. "What do you want?"

"Tricia, manners," Viv hissed. But Tricia didn't respond to her friend. A terrible feeling was sweeping over her as she locked eyes with the messenger. The way he shuffled his feet, couldn't quite meet her gaze.

"Perhaps you should come and speak with me in private. Prince Eli, too," the messenger said.

As they walked out of the room, Eli came up behind Tricia and put his hand on her back. "It'll be OK, Trish," he said comfortingly. "It'll be OK. It has to be something exciting. Something good."

She smiled at him, though it was obvious to both of them that she didn't believe a word he said. The last time a girl had gone out in the hallway with Eli alone during breakfast was one week ago. Sofie had been eliminated.

Once the door was safely closed, the messenger frowned. "I hate to be the one who has to tell you this, milady, but there's been an accident back in Fennley."

Tricia's heart dropped. "No."

"I'm afraid so. Last night there was a group of Threes from your neighborhood that got a little too rowdy. Your family was out for a stroll. I'm afraid that several of the young men were rather intoxicated. They began screaming atrocities at your family as they tried to enter your house," the messenger said.

Eli clutched Tricia's hand. However, she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything.

Continuing, the man said, "They unfortunately grabbed your little brother and started physically assaulting him. He...didn't survive the encounter. I'm so sorry."

Tricia didn't see the man walk away. She didn't hear Eli offering his condolences, didn't feel him wrapping his arms around her. Her mind was far away, across the Provinces and in her home. Where her father was probably locked in his room, Miri laid across his lap. She was probably crying, tears streaming down her perfect porcelain cheeks. Her mother was down selling paintings in the shop, trying her best to keep up the illusion that everything was OK.

"Tricia, it's OK," Eli said, whispering into her hair. "I know it feels like the world's about to end. I'm here for you. I get it."

"How can you get it?" Tricia murmured, surprising herself with the quiet hostility that charged her voice. "How can you possibly understand?"

Eli pulled back and stared at her. "Don't you remember? I lost my brother, too, Tricia. He was stillborn. And that was one of the most painful experiences of my life. Please let me help you through this, Tricia, I know I can."

"No," Tricia answered, fire in her eyes. "You couldn't get it. My brother was murdered. Because of his caste. Because he was a 4 and those boys were 3s. That's something that you'll never fully understand as long as you're alive."

Eli glanced away from Tricia, regret and tears welling up in his eyes. But Tricia couldn't back down now.

"I'm going home," she said. "I'm going home and I'm staying with my family. Where I should have been from the very beginning." With that, she turned and stalked down the hallway, not offering Eli another glance.

.

.

.

" _...they are survived by their adoring father, Michael Marson, as well as their oldest sister, Sage Marson. Any condolences to the family would be greatly appreciated. You can contact them at-"_

 _Sage tore her eyes up from the newspaper. From the obituaries section. They hadn't been able to afford seperate sections for each member of the family, not with all the costs of the funeral and caskets and heaven knows what else._

 _She glanced across the room to where her two dogs lay, whimpering, across the couch. They missed their mom and the wild children that had once roamed the halls. Sage hadn't been any fun in the last week. She'd mostly stayed on this couch, not willing to budge. Her father wouldn't be home until later that night._

 _It wasn't until she heard the telltale trumpets announcing the Report that she really moved at all. The Report was not something she ever enjoyed laying down. It was ritual for every member of her family to come and clamber onto the couch, a giant bowl of popcorn on their laps. They were all suckers for the royal family._

 _Now Sage sat alone, staring at the face of Starr Fadaye, the new Report host. She was the granddaughter of her successor, Kipling Fadaye. Everyone in the country had adored Kipling, then been hesitant to welcome Starr. But she seemed to be adjusting nicely._

 _Sage had been waiting since she was 15 years old for Prince Elias to announce his Selection. Her family had always teased her about it, seeing that she was just a year his junior._

 _She could see him there now, eyes twinkling under the copious amounts of makeup he undoubtedly endured. Sage wondered if he knew that he was the most coveted man in all of Illea. Surely he must have some idea. But he never seemed to acknowledge it, not even when asked about what he was going to do about all the young girls anxiously awaiting his Selection._

 _._

Sage stood in front of the brilliant golden stallion. He was her favorite out of any of the royal horses. There was something wise about him, something that drew her to his stall first. He snorted at her, then lowered his head towards her hand.

"He likes you," came a voice from behind her.

She whirled around to see Eli, perched on the door of an empty stall. His cheeks were rosy in the cold of the early March air, though his eyes were just as sparkling as they always were. He slid down to land next to Sage.

"I come here every day," Sage responded. "He's my favorite."

Eli was silent. For a long time, they simply stared into each other's faces, taking in the birdsong that echoed from across the hills. The sky was cloudy gray outside, but that hadn't stopped Sage from trekking to the stable. Like she had said, she came here every day.

"Sage, I-" Eli started. Then he paused, reaching down and intertwining his fingers with hers. He took a few steadying breaths, then continued. "I feel like there's something going on. With you. You haven't seemed...really OK since you arrived. Like you're always only faking your smile. I don't know."

Sage let out a chuckle. She'd known she couldn't avoid this forever. "You got me," she said sadly, holding up her hands. "I...uh, well…"

Slowly, she let her story spill out.

.

 _The car rumbled steadily, headed down the empty expanse of highway. Sage sat with her legs propped up on the dashboard, eating up the romance novel in her hands. Her mother was focused on the road, though Sage couldn't help but notice that her eyelids drooped dangerously. They'd been driving throughout the night, and her three little siblings were sitting fast asleep in the backseat._

" _Do you want me to drive, mom?" she asked._

 _Her mother shook her head vigorously. "No," she said. Then, as she caught herself dozing off again, amended, "Maybe. Just drive until the nearest coffee shop, and then I'll be good. I ran out of my cappuccino energy half an hour ago and I'm not fine."_

 _They pulled over, and Sage hopped out of her seat. At the spritely age of 17, she was just barely old enough to drive. However, she felt quite comfortable as she stepped on the gas, bringing their little old car to a consistent speed._

 _It was ages before they reached the next exit. The sign boasted such elegant attractions such as "Stevie's Chandelier Shop" and "Oat Barn". There was one, however, called "The Split Bean". That sounded enough like a cafe that Sage pulled into the exit and began making the turn._

 _As she reached the merge, the blare of a horn startled her. She barely had time to look back before she saw the immense supply truck tumbling straight for her, with no signs of stopping._

 _There was a screeching crash, then all was silent._

 _Silence._

 _Silence._

 _Then her father's voice, coaxing her out of her cocoon of quiet. It was soothing and welcoming, almost inviting. She opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of him._

" _What happened?" she asked groggily. "Where's mom and the kids?"_

 _Her father said nothing, instead bursting into dry sobs. Sage had never seen him cry before. He was resilient, strong, and tough. So as a single tear streamed down his face, Sage knew that everything was wrong._

 _Everything was wrong and it was her fault._

 _._

"Sage, that kind of thing...that takes time to heal," Eli said softly. "Did you ever go see someone? A doctor? A therapist?"

"I didn't have time or money for that," Sage answered candidly. "Plus my father was gone for most of the day. I mostly just balled up on my couch and watched TV."

Eli was silent again, staring out at the gloomy morning. His jaw trembled as he turned back to face her. "Sage, darling," he said, gripping her hand tighter, "I hate to be the one to make this call. But I think you need to go home. I think you need to take the time to heal."

Sage drew in a shuddering breath, though she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "I think you're right. But hey, this is five girls going home in two weeks. Lia, Sofie, Reina, Tricia, and now me. Are you sure you aren't just trying to empty out your castle as quickly as possible?"

Eli winked at her. "There _is_ a serial killer on the loose. I just want you guys to be safe."

Then he pulled her into his arms and held her there.

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 **I'm going to miss these girls so much! i have to give shout outs to these two, though, because they were created for me by two of my best friends! The Cruel Pringle (who you all know, love, and miss) gifted us with the gloriously traumatized Sage. Tricia was created by my friend from school (whose name is Trisha. Hmmmm). Anyways, there's LOTS of angst and drama on the horizon for our cinnamon roll Eli! First, though, we're going to spend some time with Princess Brooklyn. Leave a review to let me know what y'all thought! And now a sign off from my friend who graced us with the Joe Mama joke last chapter:**

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 **Get off your device and go to church. It's day of the Lord. Respect.**


	47. Chapter 47

"I'm pouring us some wine," Brooklyn said as the door opened. However, when she went to greet who had walked through, she froze. Instead of the girl she'd expected, it was none other than her little sister.

"Thanks," Brinley said, beaming. "I was getting thirsty. And cold. Do you think it'll ever be warm again outside?"

Brooklyn swatted away the 15 year old's arm. "This isn't for you, dingus," she said. "It's for...for a girl."

"I'm a girl," Brinley insisted.

"Nope," Brooklyn replied with a laugh. "At least, not the right girl. Go bother Mom or Dad." She turned to continue prepping the boiling water. However, Brinley didn't leave the room as Brooklyn had intended for her to do.

"Not until you tell me who the girl is," Brinley argued, stepping with a smirk in front of the door. She crossed her arms in a way that was reminiscent of when she was a little girl. "Who is she? Is she your girlfriend?"

"Shut up and stop yelling before somebody hears you," Brooklyn hissed, rushing to cover her sister's mouth. "Mom and Dad don't know yet and neither does Eli. And Eli can't find out. Not yet, anyway."

"Why?" Brinley asked. "What's wrong with Eli?"

Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "Look, can we just change the subject? I don't think the girl I'm waiting for will be back for like half an hour. Do you want to watch a show with me or something?"

"Sure," Brinley agreed, placated.

Brooklyn smiled. It was easy to please her little sister. Brinley might not be the smartest or most eligible to lead, but she was certainly the friendliest. Stella had often said that of anyone, their littlest sister was most likely to get kidnapped, then make friends with the kidnapper.

As the thought of her middle sister crossed her mind, Brooklyn's smile turned into a scowl. It had been months since she'd seen Stella. Months that she had spent flitting about with the Selected and her siblings while Stella had spent it alone in a dusty, dirty cell.

"Thinking about Stel?" Brinley asked as she read Brooklyn's expression.

"You got me," Brooklyn confirmed, plopping down on the couch next to her little sister. "It's her birthday next week and she's going to spend it locked up in the dungeon. Can you imagine spending your 19th birthday in a place like that? When I was 19, I spent the whole night at a gay bar in downtown Angeles. I made out with like three girls."

Brinley cringed. "TMI," she said. "I don't want to know about that kind of stuff. It's bad enough watching Eli date like five billion girls at the same time."

"Sorry. But you get what I'm saying," Brooklyn said. "Big difference between the two of us. It sucks."

Brinley squirmed in her seat. "Can we shut up and watch the show now? I don't like thinking about sad things. Especially when it's not about me."

Rolling her eyes, Brooklyn clicked play on the remote.

.

Half an hour later, after the episode was over, both girls stood. "I'm officially kicking you out now, Brin," Brooklyn announced. "Get out before she comes in and sees you, OK?"

"Fine," the younger girl groaned. "But can you at least tell me who it is? Please? I promise I won't tell anyone. You can trust me."

"I thought you said you didn't want to know about 'that kind of stuff.' Pick one side or the other, but don't play both," Brooklyn reprimanded her sister. "Maybe once the Selection's over, we can all have dinner together."

Immediately, Brooklyn's heart dropped. A look of childish glee appeared on Brinley's face. "Why would we have to wait until the Selection's over?" she asked, though Brooklyn could see that she already knew the answer. "Maybe because the girl you're dating is one of the Selected?"

"No," Brooklyn pleaded, "it's just...I want to make sure I'm not taking the spotlight." It was a lame attempt at an excuse, and Brinley didn't even come close to falling for it.

"Right," the girl drawled with a wink. But thankfully, she made her way out of the room before Brooklyn could strangle her. The older princess watched the door swing shut with a long sigh.

It wasn't that she was ashamed of her sexuality. It was just...there'd never been a gay princess before. At least, not one who was out. Asking her parents for the permission to marry a girl was daunting and scary and almost too anxiety inducing to even think about. Brooklyn quietly hoped that she could continue this discreet form of seeing each other for the rest of their life. It was unrealistic, but Brooklyn still let herself dream.

.

 _It was nearly 9:00. If Brooklyn was going to get to bed in time to wake up at 5:00, she would have to get back to her room very quickly. Otherwise, she'd have to miss her morning workout for the second time that week._

 _As she hurried down the West Wing, she glanced at the doors, firmly shut and locked. The whole castle was on high alert after one of the Selected girls had found three dead maids on her bed earlier that evening. Brooklyn still couldn't believe that there'd been a murderer here. In this exact hallway._

 _It made the arrival of the Selected girls all that much more unnatural. It had startled Brooklyn to no end to see a group of random girls in white shirts and black bottoms meandering around the hallways. She'd known the Selection would be strange, but she hadn't realized how strange. The girls had been at the castle for less than a day and Brooklyn was already excited for the process to be over._

 _On the other hand, Eli was eating it up. He had already befriended two of the girls, though he wasn't technically supposed to meet them until tomorrow. Brooklyn had met one of them, too. The poor girl who'd had her maids slaughtered, Ava. She'd been too shaken up for Brooklyn to really get to know her._

 _Suddenly, there was a sharp gasp from the other end of the hallway. Brooklyn spun on her heels and found herself face to face with a girl with light brown skin and shoulder length slick black hair. The girl was dressed only in a lacy red bathrobe and a set of white slippers._

" _Your highness," the girl said, though it wasn't spoken with the amount of severity and respect that Brooklyn was used to. Her voice was pleasant to listen to, like a river rushing down a mountain. "I'm sorry, I just needed to use the restroom."_

 _It took a moment for Brooklyn to respond. "No, no," she insisted. "No need to apologize to me. Not like I can kick you out or anything."_

" _Aren't you second in line to inherit the throne?" the girl responded with a slightly raised eyebrow._

" _That's me," Brooklyn answered. "Look, do me a favor and don't get yourself killed the way those maids did? I'm not going to report you for this but as it turns out, bloodstains are hard to get out of carpet."_

 _A smile tugged at the girl's lips, and Brooklyn felt her heart pound violently against her chest. "I'll do my best, my lady. Good night."_

" _Good night," Brooklyn replied._

.

As she thought back to that first night, Brooklyn heard the door creak open. She turned around and felt a true grin spread across her face. Since the first time they'd seen each other, the girl had not grown any less beautiful.

In fact, she was wearing the same red bathrobe she had been all those months ago. It complimented her cinnamon skin in a way that made Brooklyn's chest heat up with a familiar, soothing feeling.

"Hey, Brook," the girl said, coming over and wrapping her arms around Brooklyn. "I tried to tell Eli about us, but there was some crisis happening in his room. I didn't have the heart to explain. Plus he just sent home two other girls. I'm sorry."

Planting a kiss on her head, Brooklyn replied, "No need to apologize to me, Ana."

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 **i have no words for this chapter. my friend does tho!**

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 **"big booobs...umm what"**


	48. Chapter 48

"What's the matter, Ava?" Viv asked as the two girls made their way down the corridor. It was early Sunday morning, the light streaming through the tall windows of the hallway in a manner that was almost angelic.

The girl opened her mouth to speak, then shut it. What was bothering her was ridiculous. She'd been beating herself up about it since breakfast. Eli was only hers, Vela had just as much of a right to...do whatever she wanted with him as Ava did. She shouldn't be upset about what had possibly occurred last night.

"Is it about Eli?"

Ava sighed. When was it ever not about Eli? Since coming the castle, she'd simply fallen more and more in love with the Prince she'd grown up watching every night on the Report. How could she not? He was perfect.

Well, no. Not _perfect._ She'd seen parts of him in the last few months that had shattered her carefully constructed image of him that she'd carried for years. But with the destruction of that Prince Elias had come Eli. And she was certain she preferred the real version over the fake.

Viv wrapped her arm around Ava's shoulder as they rounded the corner. "Look, just because he and Vela-"

A bang echoed through the hall. A short, terrible sound that made every hair on Ava's arm stand on end. Standing in the doorway at the far end was a man dressed all in black. He held a smoking gun in one hand, aimed directly towards the two girls. In his other hand was a giant pole of solid steel.

There was a bullet embedded in the wall behind Ava and Viv, directly in between their heads. A soft whimper escaped Ava's throat, a plea to any of the gods above to save her and Viv now.

And then she was pulled out of that moment as Viv grabbed her arm and yanked her back the way they'd come. Ava kicked her shoes off as they dashed around the corner, leaving the uncomfortable high heels behind at the top of the stairs. Her feet were then free to run as fast as she could.

Together, the two girls streaked down the stairs, searching for anybody who could help them. "Aren't there any guards in this castle?" Viv cried as they raced into the ground floor corridor. This was where the servant and guard's quarters were. Surely somebody must be around to help them.

Another shot rang out behind them, whizzing right past Ava's face. It nicked her ear and cheek, causing a spurt of red warmth to trickle down her face.

"Ava," Viv cried, hesitating for a moment. But Ava couldn't quite hear her. In fact, it was hard to hear anything. Blood rushed through her head, blocking out any other sound from the outside world. She watched in vague detachment as Viv was suddenly jolted forward, the pole colliding with the back of her head.

Both girls sank to the ground, the world crumbling around them.

.

.

.

"I don't need to know if their families will be arriving soon, I need to know if they're going to survive."

"I assure you, your highness, we are doing everything we can for the girls. All you can do is stand by and wait for the doctors to do what they can. We'll let you know as soon as they give us any sign of consciousness."

"At least let me stay here. Please."

Ava's eyes fluttered open to the blinding lights of the infirmary. She'd been here a few times before. When they'd first arrived, all the girls had had a preliminary screening to make sure they weren't going to spread any diseases of any kind. And right after Christmas, Ava had fallen ill and spent a night in the same room she was in now. Eli had brought her soup and stayed by her side until the nurse had kicked him out.

"Eli?" she asked faintly. One of the voices from before had sounded familiar.

She felt someone rush to her and place their hand on her cheek. "Ava," the voice whispered with hesitant relief. As if it were too good to be true. "Ava thank the heavens." It _was_ Eli, here with her once again. Ava winced as his finger touched the place the bullet had torn open on her face.

"Sorry," he breathed. "I'm sorry. Did that hurt?"

"Only a little," Ava replied groggily. Her thoughts were jumbled, out of order. Straining, she tried to think back to the moment she passed out, but found herself coming up empty. There was somebody chasing them, then…

"Where's Viv?" she asked. Something terrible had happened to her friend. She knew that. But she couldn't quite think back to the moment when it had happened. There was only darkness and fear in those crevices of her mind.

Eli put his head in his hands. "She's unconscious," he explained. "The doctors are saying she has a minor subdural hematoma. Something about blood pooling where it isn't supposed to be and-" he broke off, looking away. "She's in a coma. They don't know when she'll wake up."

"We knew you'd be awake eventually," the doctor said. "You passed out from a mix of fright and blood loss. It's only been about ten minutes."

"What about the man? Did you catch him?" Ava asked, intertwining her fingers with Eli's.

He shook his head gravely. "As soon as someone heard the shots, they came running. But by the time they reached you, whoever did this was gone. There was a sweep of the castle that yielded absolutely nothing."

The memory of that man sent a wave of terror down Ava's spine. She began to tremble violently, tears collecting in her eyes.

When Eli noticed her tremors, he leaned down and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Hey, hey, hey," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.. "You'll be OK. I have you now."

And though the terrors weren't gone-Ava knew that they never would be, not after something like this-the world felt a little bit safer.

.

.

.

Levi Jones stormed through the palace entryway with his mother, Cheryl, close behind. He wasn't immune to the stares and excited whispers from fans, not even here where there were royals to obsess about for Illea's sake.

A gaggle of maids waved at him. No doubt they'd all seen the movie he'd starred in, 'My Country Tis of Thee.' He'd always been compared to the beloved and charming Maxon Schreave. Four years ago, they'd created a biopic of the King's life, choosing Levi to play the lead role.

It had torn him away from home for a year. Torn him away from his mother. Torn him away from his best friend, the girl from the orphanage who he'd met at school. The girl who'd practically lived at his house until she turned 18, when she actually moved in with him and his mother. The girl who'd entered the Selection to get money for college because she was too stubborn to accept the Jones's money.

Now she was here, dying in the palace infirmary. It was all Levi could do to keep terrible images from appearing in his brain, jumping to conclusions before he received all the facts.

The last time he'd seen Viv, she had been about to board the airplane to Angeles. He'd given her a kiss on the cheek to send her off, just a normal, friendly gesture of love. But now, as he rushed through the hallways, he wondered if there'd been something else behind that kiss.

To think that this time yesterday, he'd been worrying about which restaurant to eat at. He'd been stressing about which choice would impress the talent agent he was interviewing with the most. It had been down to a local sushi place or a chain known for their exquisite pizza. He'd been wracked with indecision up until the call had come in. The call that told him the girl he'd grown up with was dying.

"Honey, wait up," Cheryl exclaimed, out of breath. "Where are we meeting Prince Elias again?"

"The chauffeur told us he would meet us right inside. But I don't see him anywhere, which means we'll have to find that infirmary our own damn selves," Levi huffed, turning another corner. As he did so, he ran straight into the Prince himself. The two of them leaped backwards, snapped out of their tunnel vision.

Prince Elias held his hand up. "Pleasure to see you again, Levi," he said, slightly awkwardly. It had been years since Levi had come over for a family dinner. He'd been trying to get as much information as possible about Maxon, Elias's great great grandfather.

"You too," Levi replied, accepting the handshake. "How's Viv? Have there been any updates?"

"Yes, actually," Elias replied. "She woke up this morning. We tried to call you, but unfortunately I don't think you had service on your flight."

She was awake. She was awake. Levi felt a weight lift from his chest as his pursed lips relaxed into a smile. "That's wonderful," he said, color returning to his cheeks. "Can I go and see her now?"

.

There were voices outside of Viv's room. She shifted her head slightly, looking around in concern and confusion. There was a throbbing ache in the back of her head that swallowed any comfort provided by the bustling nurses. There were three pillows beneath her head and a plethora of food, drink, and gifts on her bedside table. But none of those things could dull the whine of pain in her brain.

A wave of nausea rose in her and she leaned over to vomit into the bucket on the floor. The effort left her gasping and swiping weakly at her mouth. Immediately, a group of nurses rushed to her side.

One lifted a glass of water to her mouth. "Drink this," he coaxed gently. "You're OK."

But Viv felt far from OK. Her vision was spotty, black blobs dancing in her eyes. Everything else was a blur, all smudged together like an oil painting left in the rain. The constant thrum of discomfort seemed to pound against her skull.

"Lady Viviana?" the head doctor said. "You have a few visitors." He turned around and spoke softly to the people behind him. "As I said, please speak softly and clearly. She's not in a very good state at the moment. And identify yourselves when you enter because she's lost a lot of her vision."

She saw someone rush to her side and touch her cheek. The person was tall, with messy blonde hair and fair skin. Other than that, Viv couldn't make out any details. "Viv," the voice she'd heard earlier exclaimed. "It's me, Levi. I'm here with mom."

Another hand reached and wound through her hair. "Hi, sweetie," Cheryl said. Though she couldn't see her face, Viv could tell she was smiling. She reached up to put her hand on top of the older woman's.

"Hello," she said quietly. Her speech was slurred, unnatural.

"Could I have a few moments alone with her?" Levi asked, turning to the doctor and another figure that stood in the doorway.

The figure let out a sigh. "Of course," he answered, and Viv realized that it was Eli. She tried to call out to him, but she couldn't force the words out. Instead, she walked silently as he turned and made his way out of the room with the rest of them.

When they were alone in the room, Viv turned back to Levi. She couldn't make out the details of his face, but when she tried hard, she could see the glimmering blue of his eyes. "Hi, Levi," she mustered. The words didn't sound right.

"Do you want to come back to Ottaro?" he asked suddenly. "We can get you transferred to Mount Fitzgerald Hospital as soon as you're stable enough to make the trip. It would be nice to have you back where I can see you every day."

Viv didn't know what to say. "Why?" she asked. "You...miss me?"

Levi was silent for a moment. "Of course," he finally choked out. "Of course I miss you. I've missed you every day since you left. Viv, you're my...my…"

"What?" she asked.

"I need you with me," Levi finished weakly, unable to complete his thought. "If you agree, I'll go and tell Elias right now. Just give me a yes or a no."

There was no question. "Yes."

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 **Another one bites the dust! we'll see some A+ Levi and Eli confrontation in the next chapter, but for now, enjoy these cuties. And yes, I know I'm moving at an extremely fast pace but I need to get all of this finished before my rare burst of inspiration has run out aha. also there's a serial killer on the loose so i assume eli wants them out as fast as possible as well. things are going to get REALLY juicy after this, though**


	49. Chapter 49

"...and I don't care what kind of medical help you can give her here. I want her coming home with me as soon as possible," Levi exclaimed. "There's no way I'm letting her stay here where there's a fellow with a gun and a pole ready to bash her head in at every corner."

"If you'll let me speak, sir," Eli said indignantly, "I have been doing my best. Especially after this blatant attack, security will be increased tenfold. I assure you that Viviana will be perfectly safe."

Levi huffed. He turned and faced his mother. "Say something," he urged. "You're technically Viv's legal guardian. Can't you get her home?"

"Honey, Viv is 19. She's her own woman. I'm not her legal guardian," Cheryl said apologetically. She walked up and put a hand on her son's shoulder.

Eli held up his hands. "I'm sorry, but Viv has the best chance of survival here in Angeles. The palace has been gifted with the most talented group of doctors and nurses in the world. I promise you she'll be safe."

"Can I stay here, then?" Levi asked. "At the palace?"

"I don't know-" Eli started.

"Listen," Levi pleaded, "Viv is my best friend. I've known her since we were six years old. When I heard she was dying? I thought the world was ending. I honestly didn't know if the sun would rise the next morning. Seeing her like this? It's just made me realize that I can't live without her. So can you let me stay here so I don't have to be alone while my best friend dies?"

Eli was dead silent. His brow was heavy, his lips tight. "It's not certain that she's going to die," he said. "In fact, the doctors said she's doing better than most people do after such severe head trauma." He walked to the other side of the room. "If you want, you can stay for the next week. Dr. Warner said that's when she'll be ready to be moved internationally."

"Thank you," Levi said with a sigh of relief.

Without another word, Eli turned and started walking in the other direction. He couldn't stomach talking to Levi any more than he already had. He would have Stanley work out living arrangements for the Joneses later.

It was so clear that Levi was in love with Viv. Eli could see it in everything he did. The way his eyes lit up when he saw her, the way his voice took on a gentler tone when he spoke about her. It both infuriated and frustrated Eli to the point that he felt the need to storm out of the room.

He didn't know exactly how he ended up at the dungeons. His feet went on autopilot, leading him down stairs and through hallways and eventually to the large wooden door armed with two sentries.

"Please state your business, your Highness," one of the guards said, his eyes not moving from where they were transfixed on the wall.

"I'm visiting my sister," he said gruffly, pushing past the guards.

The two of them exchanged a glance. "I'm sorry, your Highness," the other one said hesitantly. "Your father gave us orders to deny you access to seeing Princess Stella. Says it wouldn't be good for you mental state. There's nothing we can do to let you in."

"I'm the Crown Prince, damn it," Eli roared. "You're going to let me into the dungeon to see my sister right now or I'll have your heads. Do you think I give a rat's arse to what my father says? Just wait until I explain to him how you've disrespected me."

There was palpable fear in the eyes of both men as Eli advanced on them angrily. He didn't feel like himself anymore. It was like the rage had taken control of him and would hurt anybody who got in his way. He moved closer and closer to the door until somebody grabbed his shoulder.

"Eli, what on earth are you doing?" Brinley asked, yanking him around to face her. "You're not supposed to go down there."

Staring into the eyes of his little sister, Eli stumbled backwards. His head hit the dusty wooden door of the dungeon. Finally, his common sense was able to overwhelm the anger he'd felt a moment ago.

"Yes, you're right," he said distractedly. "You're absolutely right. I don't know what I was thinking." He took a few stumbling steps past the guards and his sister. "I'm sorry. Please carry on."

He started down the hallway again. Brinley tried to follow him for a few paces, then apparently decided against it. He vaguely heard her apologizing to the guards before he turned the corner and found himself staring at the exit that led to the courtyard.

As he made his way out of the castle, the sound of thunder echoed in his ear. The sky outside was dark and rolling violently. Rain smacked against the stone ground of the open space, creating a slick surface that Eli almost slipped on. The rain soaked his hair, his face, his clothes. He welcomed it, opening his arms toward the heavens.

What was happening to him? He'd snapped at three people in the last five minutes. Where had the smiling Prince gone? The laughing Prince? The people of Illea had grown to adore Eli for his cheerful disposition and easy going temperment.

Suddenly, there was somebody at his side.

"Lovely weather," Gigi remarked.

Eli simply grunted in reply.

They stood in the shadow of the rain for what felt like a lifetime before Eli finally turned to face the girl. "What do you say we head down to the kitchens?" he asked, reaching down and taking her hands in his.

"And just what would we be doing there?" Gigi responded with a sideways glance.

"Drink ourselves dry."

.

When he reached his chambers that night, Stanley was waiting outside the door. "How are the girls?" he asked, a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Never better," Eli said sourly. "One's scarred for life and the other has a subdural hematoma that could permanently damage her vision and speech. But other than that, everything's simply peachy."

Stanley didn't say anything. Eli was grateful. He wasn't in the mood to argue with anyone. He wished he could simply...not be Prince anymore. He wished he could be a 4 in the middle of the midwestern provinces with no pressure or obligations or anything.

"I need you to do a few things for me," Eli said quietly. "Can you arrange for week long living arrangements for Levi and Cheryl Jones?"

"Of course," Stanley replied.

"And then," Eli continued, "tell General Keeling to put this whole palace on high security lockdown. Nobody's coming or going until this is all over."

.

"In other news, the palace has been put on high security lockdown. Due to a threat attacking the Prince and his Selection, Elias has called for drastic measures to protect the people inside."

At the sound of the announcement from the TV, Tricia glanced up from where she was slicing carrots. From the living room, Miri called, "Tricia? Do you know why?"

"Yes," Tricia answered miserably, not daring to believe what she heard.

.

.

"There was an incident two days ago which ended with two of the Selected competitors in the Infirmary."

Sofie put a hand over her mouth in horror. Her blue eyes widened as pictures of her friends flashed on the screen. Pictures of wounded bodies, broken faces. The couch disappeared from underneath her, the whole world vanished and all she could see was the announcment.

Then somebody took her hand. She glanced over and saw Cole's face, marred with just as much worry as Sofie knew was on her own. Instead of speaking, she gripped his hand tighter and moved closer to him under the blanket. Soon the announcement became too unbearable and she buried her face in his shoulder.

.

"Luava Quappik suffered from loss of consciouness due to fright and blood loss caused by a stray bullet across her cheek."

Sage gasped. Her father looked over with concern written all over his face. "Sage?" he asked. "Is that a friend of yours?"

She could only nod in solemn silence as the announcement continued.

.

"Viviana Ebony was struck on the head and was in a coma for 18 hours. Her condition is unstable and it is unclear as to whether or not she will survive."

Lia let out a strangled sound as she stared up at the TV. She heard her mother let out a string of curses. "Thank the heavens Lia got out when she did," she cried. "That fool of a Prince is going to get those girls killed!"

"Mama," Lia reprimanded, tears pooling in her eyes. "He's doing his best."

She felt her little brother wrap his arms around her, though even that couldn't stop the pain she felt staring at the picture of Viv on the TV.

.

"Nobody will be able to enter or leave the palace until the crisis is averted."

If Reina heard the announcement, she didn't show it. In fact, she didn't even move from her position on the couch.

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 **ok. this is where it all culminates. i've already got half of the next chapter written and let me say. some things go down. also this whole little section at the end was so fun to write! i miss these gals sm but i will say that there will be a time when they all get back together. well, almost all of them. stay tuned folks!**


	50. Chapter 50

One week later, the girls could feel that the Selection was about to end.

There were only four of them left. Ana, Vela, Gigi, and Ava spent their days huddled together in the Women's room in hushed conversation with Brooklyn, Brinley and Queen Georgianna.

"Do you think he's doing any better?" Ava asked, wringing her hands in her lap. "He was late to breakfast for the fifth time this week. Stanley said he would try to help, but so far nothing seems to be working."

"It's alright, sweetheart," Georgianna said, reaching over to touch Ava's knee. Her eyes were kind, as always, though there was a hint of heaviness to them. "If Eli's in serious danger, he'll come to us. He always does."

Gigi stood silently behind the queen, weaving her hair in an intricate braid. She knew better than anyone that Eli had his own ways of coping. He wouldn't go to the Queen or the other girls. He would head up to Gigi's room for a smoke or a drink.

She tied off the braid and stepped back. "All finished," she announced.

"Thank you, dear," Georgianna said, reaching up to squeeze Gigi's hand. "It feels beautiful."

"It looks great," Vela agreed. "You've got a gift. If this whole Selection thing doesn't work out, you should head into the beauty industry. Got a few people I could pull strings with to get you a job."

Tapping her chin, Gigi felt the corners of her lips edge upwards. "I just might take you up on that," she mused.

.

That evening, Gigi retired to her room early. She sat alone in her silvery smooth nightgown while fingering a little pink ribbon on her bedside table. This room, her little section of the palace, was the only place that felt safe anymore. Even the women's room brought back painful memories of her attempted flight through the window.

There was a knock on her door. Slightly disgruntled, she stood and made her way over to answer whoever was calling this late at night. Surely they could have talked to her beforehand and made sure she didn't have plans to do nothing all night.

It was Eli at the door. She should have figured. Letting out a sigh, she turned to retrieve the cigarettes she kept hidden in the top of her nightstand. "You should have told me you were coming," she said, "I wouldn't have gotten out of my day clothes."

"No, no," he replied, walking in and taking a seat on her bed. "I'm not here for a smoke or drink or anything. I need to talk to you about something serious, actually."

She knew immediately. "You're sending me home," she said, dropping the cigarette and lighter back into the drawer. "Because, let me guess-I'm not Queen material, you don't love me like that, and there's somebody else that's captured your heart entirely."

Eli was dead silent. He shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Well I wasn't going to be quite so blunt about it," he said, staring at the ground.

"It's OK," Gigi said, waving her hand, "I feel the same way. I'm definitely not Queen material, I don't love you like that either, and…" she trailed off. There was nobody she could say had captured her heart the way Eli's heart was obviously taken.

"Can I at least give the speech I prepared?" he asked sheepishly.

"By all means," Gigi said encouragingly. "I am your captive audience."

Clearing his throat, Eli began, "OK. Well, Gigi, I need to talk to you about something serious. I'm afraid...I'm afraid I'm going to have to send you home. It's not you as a person at all, it's just that there's not the right energy between us. I love you with all of my heart, it's just not the right kind of love."

"I don't think there _is_ a right kind of love," Gigi interrupted, "but I understand what you're saying. Please continue."

"Besides which," he said, raising an eyebrow, "in addition to being my wife, the girl I ask to marry me must also be a Queen. And while I admire your strength and wisdom, I don't think that you would want to take on the Queen's responsibilities."

"Damn straight."

"Therefore, it's in all of our best interests that your time in the Selection ends now," Eli finished. He paused for a moment, presumably for dramatic effect, then glanced back up earnestly. "How was that?"

"Very formal," Gigi said honestly. "It felt like an automated response. Maybe when you let the others know, you could try and be a little less robotic?"

He tapped his forehead. "I'll keep that in mind."

They sat in comfortable quiet. Gigi frowned, a sudden thought striking her. "Eli," she said. "I don't think I'm safe. Not back in Waverly. A man tried to kill me when I left for Angeles. Then he tracked me here to the castle. And I know for a fact that he wasn't the only one that I...well...he isn't the only one who would try to do something like that."

Eli stared at her for a long time. "I know," he said finally. "I was thinking about that. I think...I think that if you wanted, I could find a place for you here. At the palace. We wouldn't tell anybody. You could change your name. You could get a job. You could start a brand new life."

It all seemed too good to be true. Gigi felt the warmth pouring into her chest and stomach. "Wouldn't people speculate?" she asked. "If they found out? That wouldn't look good for either of us."

"Screw them," Eli responded viciously. "I'm not going to send you back to a place where you could be murdered. You're staying right here where I can keep an eye on you."

They looked around, realizing they'd subconsciously moved all the way to the door. Eli opened it and stepped out into the hallway.

"Good night, Gigi," he said.

Then Gigi reached out and flung her arms around him, the widest smile on her face as there had been in years. "I love you, Eli," she said. And as the words left her mouth, she knew they were true. She wasn't broken.

He rested his chin on her head. "I love you, too, Gigi."

"Eli?" came a third voice. The two of them turned to see Stanley, dressed as always in a full suit and tie, holding a stack of papers that looked rather official. "There's a few things that have been sent for you to take care of. I'm sorry to...interrupt, but it is rather urgent."

"Excellent," Eli muttered. "You know, this is just what I was hoping for on my day off. I hope you realize you've effectively ruined everything you good for nothing slave."

Gigi knew Eli well enough to realize he didn't mean anything he was saying to Stanley. The two of them had been friends for years. They'd never do anything to consciously hurt each other.

Their conversation trailed off as they rounded the corner. Gigi stared for a moment, then shrugged and returned into her room. As long as Eli was happy and she was safe, everything would work itself out in the end.

.

That night, as Gigi slept soundly in her bed, rain began to fall. It pattered against her window, starting as a small hum, then growing until it was a full blown symphony. Yet Gigi didn't wake from her sleep.

The rain provided a blanket of noise that kept Gigi from hearing anything else, as a matter of fact. She didn't hear the call of an owl in the storm when the clock rang ten times. She didn't hear the crack of thunder in the night when the clock ran eleven times. And she didn't hear the click of her door opening when the clock rang twelve times.

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Only three girls showed up for breakfast that morning. Vela was right on time as usual. Ana and Brooklyn walked in together a few minutes late. And Ava had left her room ten minutes early just in case she got lost on the way.

It wasn't until halfway through the meal that Eli sighed and looked around. "OK," he said sullenly. "I know I eliminated her, but that doesn't give her the right to skip breakfast. She should have been down here with the rest of you. Didn't you think to go check on her at all?"

"I can go see if she's alright," Ava volunteered, setting her fork down.

"I'll go with you," Vela offered. "You shouldn't go wandering the hallways with the killer on the loose."

Ava flashed an appreciative smile. Together, the two of them left the Great Hall and started walking towards the upper East rooms. Vela felt a wave of uneasiness wash over her. She frowned, staring at the ground, then brushed the feeling away. It was probably due to the fact that she and Ava were walking in the same corridor Viv and Ava had been when they were attacked.

"Hey, are you OK?" Vela asked. She hadn't really spoken to Ava since the attack. "You know, after the…"

"Yeah," Ava responded, "I'm doing fine. I've been doing a bunch of Eli's paperwork to keep myself busy."

"He trusts you enough to do that?" Vela asked incredulously.

Ava shrugged, ducking her head down in embarrassment. "I guess I have a knack for signing and summarizing forms." They walked in silence for a few more feet before Ava squeaked out, "So is it true that you and Eli…"

Now it was Vela's turn to feel her face heat up. "Oh...yeah, it is." Normally, she would be flaunting it to anybody who would listen. However, with Ava she just felt awkward. Like she was talking about something she shouldn't.

To clear the air, she mentioned, "So Gigi's been eliminated."

Ava's head perked up. "Yeah," she said. "I guess that means it's down to you, Ana, and me. Kind of scary to think about."

"Kind of," Vela agreed. She hadn't fully realized it, but she had made it up to the top three of the Selection. It felt slightly unreal, though she'd more or less expected to do well once she'd been Selected.

And as for Ava's assessment of the competition being between her, Vela, and Ana, Vela couldn't bring herself to tell Ava what was truly going on. Vela had known for weeks that Ana was seeing Brooklyn behind Eli's back. And with her off the table, that meant it was between Ana and Vela.

They finally made it to Gigi's room. Ava reached up and pounded on the door a few times. "Gigi," she called. "Are you awake in there?"

There was no response. The two girls shared a slightly concerned look, then Ava pulled the door open gently. "Gigi," she said, softly this time. "You're missing breakfast. Everyone's waiting for you."

The door clicked shut behind them as Ava and Vela made their way toward the bed. In the dim light, they could see the vague shape of Gigi under the covers. She lay on her back, eyes closed in a deep, blissful sleep.

Suddenly, the hair on both the girls' arms stood on end. They looked at each other, only now realizing something was very, very wrong. The energy in the room was heavy and eerie. The only sound was the constant ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. Eyes watched them from every corner of the room.

Gigi's pale skin and hair seemed almost ghostlike as Vela and Ava approached her. The slice of sunlight through the curtains illuminated her pale pink lips, for some reason drained of their usual color.

"It's time to wake up, Gigi," Vela muttered, reaching down and yanking the covers down from the sleeping girl's chin.

As the blanket fell away from her body, Ava let out a gasp of muffled horror. Even Vela barely managed to suppress a scream from rising in her throat.

There was a pool of mostly dried blood on the mattress. And judging by the stains on Gigi's nightgown, it had come straight from her heart. Suddenly, the calm and quiet of the room became a hundred times more sinister.

"We need to get out of here," Vela murmured, her head pounding. "Right now."

Ava could only manage a whimper and a nod before the two of them were dashing through the doorway and out into the hallway. It took them less than a minute to reach the Great Hall, where they burst in to find everyone eating quietly.

"What's the matter?" King Hanson asked, furrowing his brow.

"It's...it's…" Ava gasped, out of breath. "It's…"

"Gigi," Vela finished. "We went into her room and found her throat slit and her heart stabbed. We need to get to somewhere safe right now. The killer is inside the castle and could be coming for any of us next."

Eli's face had taken on a sickly color compared to its usual cinnamon tan. He rose quickly from his seat, knocking the chair over. "You all need to stay here," he instructed. "The Great Hall doubles as a safe room. I'll tell a guard to lock the door behind him when I leave."

"When you leave?" Georgianna exclaimed. "Eli, are you crazy? You have to stay here with the rest of us until the guards can sort this out."

He ran to his mother and placed a kiss on her head. "I have somebody in my room that won't know what's going on. I don't want her to get hurt at all. Besides, my chambers have a secure lock on them. I'll be perfectly safe in there."

There was a wave of hesitation that passed over the Queen's face. She glared at the ground, then reached up and pulled her son into a tight embrace. "Don't do anything stupid, darling. Keep yourself alive. Please."

Ana's head snapped up suddenly. She turned and locked eyes with Brooklyn. "The hallway downstairs," she exclaimed. Turning to face Eli, she said, "Eli. Let us out with you. I think I know how we can put an end to all this."

"No time to lose," the Prince answered immediately. Brooklyn, Ana, Vela, and Ava all stood up to follow him, staring regretfully back into the safety of the Great Hall as they left.

Georgianna put her head in her hands. "Lord have mercy on them," she whispered.

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	51. Chapter 51

_A dark chill gripped Sage's shoulders. The silence of the hallway was deafening. And she had the strangest sensation that she was being watched. After all, the torch lamp could only provide so much light._

 _Who was to say that she was alone in the corridor?_

 _I need to leave, thought Sage. The only sound was her beating heart. It echoed. It overwhelmed her ears._

 _Thump, thump, thump._

 _Whispers in the wall._

 _Thump, thump, thump._

 _Endless tension. Sage was too terrified to move. The eyes were everywhere, they could see her. They were coming for her._

 _And then her senses were back. Her body was her own again and she bolted, throwing the torch against the damp stone ground where it quickly fizzled out._

 _Then it was just Sage, scrambling helplessly through the dark._

 _She hit the walls, she bruised her shoulder, but she never stopped running. The adrenaline coursing through her veins kept her hurtling through the corridor. Her footsteps were loud-too loud. Loud enough that anything in the hallway could hear her loud and clear._

 _It soon became clear to Sage, though, that hers were not the only footsteps echoing through the hall. Another set was thumping slowly, steadily. Like a drum. Yet it was gaining. Each footstep was dull. They died in Sage's ear as fast as they had come about._

 _A slimy hand slid around Sage's throat. She pulled up into a dead halt, her eyes wide with terror. A single whimper escaped her mouth. The footsteps continued. They were a clock, ticking, ticking, ticking towards her doom._

 _._

Sage bolted upright in her bed, sweat gleaming on her forehead. Her breath came in quick, shallow, gulps, never enough to fully calm her down. She reached to her bedside table, trying desperately to find the lamp in the darkness.

"You don't have to go back," she whispered to herself as soft , warm light flooded into her room. Then, with her knees tucked up to her chest, she piled herself back under the blankets and pillows. However, she knew there would be no more sleep for her tonight.

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.

When the girls came to a stop in front of the large wooden door, down on the lowest floor of the castle, Ana felt a shiver race down her spine. Her thoughts drifted back to the night she and Brooklyn had forced Sage down into the hallway and the state of shock the girl had been reverted to afterwards. She instinctively reached down and grabbed Brooklyn's hand. The princess turned her head and offered a reassuring squeeze.

"This is where Sage found the elevator?" Vela asked, looked at the door skeptically. "It doesn't look like an elevator."

"It's not here," Ana explained.

"It's through the hallway that this door leads to," Brooklyn added. "There's a staircase right through here, then a pretty long corridor that leads to the place Sage found."

"I see," Vela said, glancing between the two of them.

As the rest of the girls scoped out the scene, memories of that night so long ago raced to the surface of Ana's mind. It had been a traumatic experience for all of them, but especially for Sage. Ana couldn't think of the girl without feeling a heap of guilt come crashing down on her.

"So we have to go down here?" Vela asked. She had worked the door open and was now staring down the stairs that seemed to descend into hell itself. Ana winced at the menacing darkness that seemed to pulse as she stared at it.

Brooklyn nodded, stepping forward to move through the entryway. A shadow splayed across her face as she turned to motion the others forward. "Well? Are you coming?"

"I wish we had a flashlight," Ava murmured, following close behind Vela and Ana. The four of them huddled tight as they made their way down into the deepest tunnels of the castle.

If it hadn't been for the crack of light coming from the open door at the top, they would have been tripping over their own feet all the way down. With the extra bit of brightness, they were able to make it to the bottom with no accidents. A small blessing, Ana knew, before the complete darkness of what lay ahead.

"Sage said that if we just walk in a straight line, the elevator is at the end of this thing," Brooklyn said. "So I don't think we'll need much light. Just everyone keep one had on the wall or on another person." She touched her palm to the wall, then reached out and intertwined her fingers with Ana. Vela did the same, linking her arm with Ava's. Together, they set out into the blackness.

After a few minutes, Ava asked, "Brooklyn? Why is Starr staying in Eli's room?"

"You know about that?" Ana whispered back. "How?"

Ava ducked her head. "Well, he said that there was somebody in his room that he needed to protect. And I saw Starr hanging around his chambers a few days ago. She didn't look all that well. And where's she been off to?"

Brooklyn didn't answer right away. Ana felt her tighten at Ava's questions, then eventually relax. "I guess it doesn't matter if you know. Everything's gone to shit anyway," Brooklyn lamented. "See, Starr was actually kidnapped a few weeks ago. There was an ultimatum given to Eli. Call off the Selection or Starr was killed. And if he told anybody, he himself would be killed."

"That's terrible," Ava breathed.

"Yeah. And then a week or two ago, she was found wandering the servant's territories downstairs. She was beaten and in no condition to talk. So Eli brought her to the infirmary. Yesterday, though, she was moved to Eli's chambers. Wasn't doing well in the infirmary."

Vela cut off Brooklyn's explanation. "Hey, do you see that? I think that's what we're looking for."

The girls squinted, catching a glimpse of something silver at the end of the passageway. "That looks like exactly what Sage described," Ana exclaimed.

As they approached the elevator, a rumbling noise shook the entire area. Ava let out a muffled scream, cowering closer to Vela. "What is that?" she whimpered. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," Ana replied, equally shaken. All four girls stared at each other in a mix of apprehension, unease, and straight up fear. "It kind of sounds like somebody's coming down the shaft."

They inched closer to the large silver doors, careful not to stray too far apart from each other. The rumbling picked up speed as they came nearer and nearer. Soon, they were standing right in front of the entrance.

The vibrations stopped. The door slid open. There was nobody inside, just as Sage had described. Only cold, empty, unnaturally bright metal. In fact, it was so shiny, the girls could see themselves in the reflective surface.

"Let's go," Brooklyn said as she and Ana stepped into the elevator.

Vela and Ava had no choice but to follow the others. There was no way they were staying alone in the hallway.

After all of them were inside, the door slid shut. Then it was deadly silent except for the faint grinding of the elevator going in what seemed like an upwards direction. Nobody dared to say even a word.

 _What am I doing?_ Ana suddenly thought to herself. _I'm tracking a serial killer with the Princess of Illea, who happens to be my girlfriend. This is insane. This is unbelievable._ She rubbed her sweaty hands against her dress.

"Scared?" Brooklyn asked softly.

"Yup," Ana answered.

Then the doors slid open, revealing a small white room. The only exit was a tiny arched doorway that seemed to lead to a bigger living area furnished with relatively modern and expensive things.

They stepped out of the elevator and into the little room. "This looks like it could be my neighbor's house or something," Ana mentioned, peering through into the rest of the space. "Whoever lives here is definitely a 2 or a well off 3."

"And a serial killer," Ava said, pointing to a gleaming silver pole leaned against the wall. "That's what he was holding when he attacked Viv and I." She looked around some more. "And over there," she continued, "is the knife left in my room the first time when he killed the maids."

"So we've got ourselves a perp," Ana said, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice.

"A perp that could be anywhere from here to the castle," Brooklyn reminded her. "We should keep our guard up."

Together, they walked through the entryway and into what seemed like a living room. However, they soon realized that only three of them had made it into the larger section.

"Ava?" Vela asked. "What's up?"

"I don't know. I just feel like I need to stay back here," the girl replied.

Ana took a step towards her. "It's OK if you're scared, we understand-"

"No," Ava cut in. "I'm not scared. I can't explain it to you, there's just...a feeling that I can't go through that entry."

"Suit yourself," Brooklyn called as the rest of them walked further into the house.

"He seems so normal," Ana remarked.

"Most serial killers do until they're slitting your throat," Vela said, walking over to the computer sitting on a desk. "Let's see if there's anything useful on this." She hit the power button and watched, fascinated, as the screen started up. However, there was immediately a text box that requested a password.

"Do you see anything in here that could be a password of any sort?" Ana asked, looking around the place. There were lots of pictures on the wall, but none that would give any sort of semblance to what might unlock the computer.

Suddenly, Vela smacked her forehead. "We're so stupid. Look, it's right here." Sure enough, a slip of paper was taped to the desk with the words "PW: shootingstar55" scrawled across it.

"Hurry, type it in," Ana encouraged. She huddled close to Vela, watching intently as her friend put in the code, then pressed enter.

Immediately, a loud siren began to blare. "Incorrect password," announced an automated voice. To the girls' surprise, bars of solid iron slammed down on every door and window in sight. They dropped to the ground and scanned the room for any sign of another person or thing.

"Guys, look," Brooklyn yelled over the sirens, pointing to the name on the back of the computer that they'd failed to notice earlier. "There's our perp."

Ana frowned. "But...she's back in the safe room with Eli."

The alarms fell silent, echoing the haunting dread that settled in their stomachs.

"Shit," Brooklyn hissed. "Eli's locked in a safe room with her."

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 **also im sorry the a/n for the last few chapters has been so bad but i just feel like there's nothing i can say to do the chapter justice. so here's a little message from my friend that I know you've been missing:**

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 **follow me on tiktok elisan420**


	52. Chapter 52

**omg its the climax *moans* ~ruby's friend**

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 **ok i'm putting my a/n at the beginning this time for a fun little change. if y'all haven't read the previous chapter, you're going to be confused because there was a revelation that occurred that is very prevalent in this chapter. so go back and do that :) ok onto the story!**

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"Starr, are you OK?" Eli asked, throwing the door open to his room. Before he took another step, he turned around and threw the door shut. Maneuvering the handle in a special way, It locked tightly, allowing nobody to open it from the inside or out unless they held a soldier's card.

He leaned his forehead against the door, finally taking a breath of relief. At least he and Starr were safe now.

"Shame about Gigi," he heard from behind him. Starr's voice, the strongest he'd heard it since she had returned. But even as he spoke, a blaring signal was going off in his brain. Something wasn't right.

"Starr?" he asked, not turning around from the door. "How did you know about Gigi? I only just found out myself a minute ago."

"News travels fast in this castle," she replied casually, reaching over and placing a hand on Eli's shoulder. She dug her nails into his skin as she spun him around to face her.

It was as though she'd never been kidnapped. Her hair was dyed a sparkling white, a haunting echo of Gigi's snowy color. Her face was scrubbed clean. She was dressed in a skin tight black dress that Eli knew for a fact had been hanging in Gigi's closet. If that wasn't incriminating enough, she held a sleek silver knife in her hands.

"You?" was all Eli could manage.

"Me," Starr replied with a modest shrug.

"Why?"

Starr rolled her eyes. "You are _not_ making me give a whole monologue. That's a cliche and I'm not about it." She paused a few moments before waving her fingers at him. "Oh, well, if you insist. Do you want to play twenty questions?"

"I suppose so," Eli agreed, having nothing else to say.

Starr clapped her hands. "Excellent," she cheered. "Let's go to your room, it's much more comfortable. I'm exhausted and these heels are absolutely digging into my feet. Don't know how she managed to walk around all day in these."

.

They sat in Eli's room, him in the armchair and Starr sprawled across the bed. "OK," she said, motioning to him, "I'm ready. Hit me with whatever you're wondering."

"Why?" Eli repeated. "How? When?"

Snapping her fingers, Starr reprimanded, "Specifics, please. When what? How what? Why wha-"

"Why did you care so much about stopping my Selection?" Eli finally managed to choke out. Even vocalising those words was enough to send the weight of what he was finding out come crashing down on him. "What gave you the right to ruin what was supposed to be the best months of my life?"

"Eli, darling," she said, examining her nails. "Do you remember all that time ago when we were at that party? And we got rather drunk? I think I made some sort of declaration. What was it? Oh, that's right. _I love you._ And do you remember what you said to me?"

Hanging his head, Eli mentally cursed himself. He remembered exactly what he'd said to her. " _The only you love is attention. I don't know if we're even friends. For all I know, you could be using me to grab more views. Have you ever been sincere in your life?"_

"And you told me that you were sorry," Starr continued. She shifted her weight angrily. "The only things you said about it to me were 'I'm sorry. I was so mean. I guess we're both the worst.' And that was it. That was all I got for being humiliated in front of 300 people and told by the man I love that he thought the only thing I love is attention."

"Starr, I'm so sorry-"

She threw her arm out in a sweeping motion. "Is this attention enough for you? Six people have died and countless more have been traumatized. All because you made the choice to be cruel to me."

"So let me get this straight," Eli said, rubbing his forehead. "You murdered all those girls because of something I said when I was drunk? We all do stupid things when we're drunk. I didn't actually mean what I said."

"Well of course you would say that now," Starr reasoned. "I'm the one holding the knife."

"And what about Stella?" Eli asked, deciding to change the subject. "What about my sister? What did you do to her?"

"Technically, that was three questions, but I guess I'll lump them into one. Yes, poor Stella. Such a beauty. Yet even the most beautiful girls aren't entirely unique. There are girls in this palace that look so much like her. Girls that hate the monarchy and the lot they've been dealt in life. She agreed to get caught on camera tending to the bodies. Coincidentally right at the moment that Stella's whereabouts couldn't be accounted for by anyone in the castle."

"You framed my sister while she was going into town with some friends?" Eli asked, thinking about the only time that Stella could have ever been unspoken for around the castle.

"Damn right. You're smarter than they say, Eli," Starr applauded. She twisted a strand of blonde hair around her finger. "Once she was in the dungeon, I sent some guys to mess her up a bit. And I told her if she didn't take the blame, I would have you killed."

Eli ran his hands through his hair. "How did you manage it all? How weren't you caught? Ever?"

"I actually committed none of the crimes, darling," Starr confessed. "I was blackmailing a couple guards. Perhaps you remember them? Goldsworth and Tinsley? They brought me to you that day a couple weeks ago."

"So you faked your own kidnapping to end the Selection? Why did you return at all?" Eli asked incredulously.

Raising an eyebrow as if it were obvious, Starr replied, "It was becoming obvious to me that you were either forgetting about me or choosing to have me killed. So I decided to come back and stir things up again. It was simple really. I came back through a tunnel in the basement connected to my house. Nobody's used it in years. When I reached the servant's area, Goldsworth and Tinsley helped me get roughed up a bit. Then I staggered back into your arms."

"So the maid? Sara? Tinsley's husband? She was in on it as well?" Eli asked.

"Why, Eli, can't you see it? Of course she was in on it. She was the one who pretended to be Stella in the tapes that were recorded. Such a striking resemblance, don't you think?" Starr asked with a cheeky smile. "Now is that it? We have more pressing matters to attend to."

"What about Gigi?" Eli asked suddenly.

"What _about_ Gigi?" Starr echoed.

"I mean-why? Why her?" Eli stammered. "She had never done anything to you. In fact, she wasn't even in the competition anymore. I'd eliminated her that night."

For the first time, Starr's face dropped. "What?" she hissed.

"I had just eliminated her," Eli repeated.

"But Stanley said-" Star began, then faltered. "Stanley came back with you and told me that you had just proposed to her. He said you hugged each other and said that you loved…" she trailed off. "Stupid Stanley."

Dread rose in Eli's gut. "Where is he, anyway? He wasn't a part of all this, right?"

"No, not knowingly," Starr admitted. "But he gave me information. I was always good at coaxing things that I needed out of men. Don't worry, though. We don't have to deal with him anymore." Her eyes glazed, and it took Eli a moment to realize she was looking behind him.

Eli turned around slowly in his chair. In the next room over, he could see a rope dangling from the ceiling, pulled around the neck of his friend.

When he turned back around, there was a cold fury in his eyes. "So what now?" he asked, grinding his teeth together. "Are you going to force me to marry you? Is that why you killed Gigi? So I would come back to you?"

Starr laughed, unnaturally bright. "Oh, Eli. I don't want to marry you. Not anymore. I just want to kill you."

She held up the dagger, light glinting in her eyes. As she brought her arm down, Eli leapt from the chair. The sharp edge pierced his shoulder, drawing a warm wetness down his arm. Cold, hard fear coursed through Eli's chest. He rose to his feet and dashed through the chambers, searching for anywhere he could possibly hide. Though his rooms were undoubtedly larger than most in the castle, it was still a space designed for just one person. He made it about ten feet before reaching a dead end. Figuring it was better than nothing, Eli shut himself up in his closet.

Starr's footsteps echoed through the rooms. Her pace was slow, almost lazy. "I've got all the time in the world, Eli. The guards aren't coming. Your family isn't coming. Not even the girls were coming."

 _The girls?_ Eli wondered, gripping his dripping shoulder. Then he remembered. They'd gone to investigate a lead that Ana had found months ago. _Curse her for being such a damn good investigator._

"They found my little passageway," Starr admitted, answering Eli's unspoken questions. "But I knew that somebody would undoubtedly come sniffing. I left them a little surprise. I got the alarm a minute ago that three people have been locked inside my living room."

 _Three?_ He thought. _But if Brooklyn, Ana, Vela, and Ava…_

Suddenly, a shot rang out through the chambers. Eli flinched, cowering to the back of the closet. His heart pounded violently against his chest. Perhaps if Starr didn't get to him in time he would die from a heart attack.

"Eli?" came a small, quivering voice. A voice that was definitively not Starr's.

He poked his way out of the closet, coming face to face with a warm, thin, face with eyes that looked like a deer's. In her arms was a large gun usually held by a guard. A card used to unlock safe rooms was tucked into her front pocket. Looking back toward his bedroom, he saw Starr, slumped over his bed.

The girl dropped her gun, sinking to her knees in exhaustion. Eli came to her, put his arms around her shoulders, and kissed her.

"Ava," he murmured. "H-how?"

"I didn't go into the house with them," she explained, leaning her forehead against Eli's. "When they got locked in, they saw the name tag on the computer. We realized you were back here with her, so I went back down the elevator and ran through the hallway. Then I couldn't get in so I knocked a guard named Tinsley over the head with a book I found. I took his gun and card and...well…"

She turned back to Eli and stroked a hand down his cheek. "Are you OK? Did she hurt you?"

"Only a little," Eli answered, revealing his bloody shoulder. "But it could have been worse. She would have killed me if it weren't for you. You saved me."

"I'm exhausted. Can we rest for a little bit before we go out and deal with everything?" Ava asked, resting her cheek on Eli's shoulder. Her breath was deep and quick against his chest.

He nodded into her hair. "We can rest now."


	53. Chapter 53

"Vela," Eli said, coming into her room. To his surprise, he found her next to a suitcase, throwing various belongings into it. "Wh...what is happening? What are you doing?"

"I know why you came in here, Eli," she responded. "I'm not an idiot. I knew before you did, I think." She took a deep breath. "And I'm not going to say that it doesn't hurt. Or even that I understand. Because I don't. Not really."

"Vela, I-" Eli said, moving towards her.

But Vela just held her hand up. "No. It's OK. When Ava ran back to find you without any hesitation, I realized...I don't know if I would do the same in her place. I still have a lot of growing to do until I reach where I need to be. In a way, I think becoming queen would slow down my progression. You know?"

"Yeah," Eli said, running a hand through his hair. "I know."

He leaned against the doorway as Vela packed the last of her things away. The room was bare. Empty. Eli looked around, searching for any trace of Vela's spirit manifesting itself. But he saw nothing.

"Grab that for me, will you?" she asked a nearby maid. "Take it outside. I've got a ride coming in like ten minutes. I've get to take care of a few things before I go."

As the maid left with Vela's suitcase, Eli took a few steps toward her. "Guess this is goodbye, then. If your ride comes that soon. Where are you headed?"

"I'm not sure," Vela admitted. "I've been waiting to hear back from Lyza and the crew about where they're staying at the moment. Once they text back, I'll get a plane ticket and hop on the next flight out of here."

"Well, good luck. In whatever you do. Wherever you go," Eli said. He reached out and touched the necklace she wore. A small silver flame charm attached to a simple chain around her neck. The gift he'd gotten for her for Christmas.

"Goodbye, Eli," she said, smiling fondly. He opened his arms and pulled Vela close to him for the last time. For a moment, he hoped that he wouldn't have to let go.

But he did. She offered him one last wink. Then she brushed past him and began the long walk out to the front of the palace.

He watched her go, a hand closing on his heart. As she turned to go down the stairs, he felt someone come and stand next to him. Turning, he saw his sister, Brooklyn, and Ana. Holding hands.

"Hey, guys," Eli said hesitantly. "What's up?"

"Are you going to ask Ana to marry you?" Brooklyn asked, staring intently at him.

"Wh-what?"

Ana stalked towards him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You can't ask me to marry you," she said. "Because ...because…"

A light dawned in Eli's eyes. He glanced back and forth between the two of them some more, understanding growing brighter in his face. "The day that you came into my room. You said you had something to tell me. Was this it?"

"Yeah," Ana said, looking at the ground.

"I don't believe it," Eli muttered. "My best friend and my sister?"

Brooklyn stepped forward. "No, Eli. It's not like that. We're not just messing around. We're in love."

And with those words, Eli's frozen mask of anger melted. "My best friend and my sister," he exclaimed. "This is amazing." He wrapped both of them in his arms and held them tight. "And if you get married, we'll get to hang out all the time. You can come on double dates with-"

"Stop," Brooklyn said, shoving her hand over his mouth. "Don't tell us who. Besides, we have to go now if we're going to make it in time to see _her._ "

"Oh no, I completely forgot about that," Eli said smacking his palm against his forehead. "I scheduled a meeting for right now."

Brooklyn's eyes went wide. "Are you serious? Did you really?"

"No," Eli said, linking his arm in hers.

.

They all walked down the corridor, hearts pounding against their ribs. Eli put his arm around Brinley's shoulder, half to comfort her, half to steady himself. Brooklyn reached down and took the girls hand. Their parents walked ahead, arm in arm. The nervous tension leapt between them as they approached the giant wooden door.

The single guard saluted them. "Good morning, your Majesty, your highnesses. My companion has been sent to retrieve her. They should be up momentarily."

Sure enough, the door began to swing open, its large hinges grinding with effort. When it was fully open, a guard stepped out. He nodded to the royal family, then gestured to somebody behind the door.

Stella stepped out, her beautiful curly hair hanging around her shoulders in oily strands. Her face was smudged with dirt and all she wore was a ratty purple sweatshirt and black leggings. Her feet were bare and calloused from the months she'd spent down in the dungeon.

"Stella," Brinley said, breaking the silence. "You look amazing."

Her older sister didn't seem to respond. Georgianna stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her middle daughter. "Honey, you're free now. You're free. We're so sorry."

"We had no choice," Hanson added.

Finally, Eli stepped forward. He put his hands on his sister's shoulders. "Thank you," he said softly. "Thank you for saving my life. I'd be dead right now if it weren't for you."

And at last, Stella's mouth twitched up into a smile.

"Damn straight."

.

.

.

The funeral was harder than Eli thought. It had been three days since everything had come to an end. Arrangements for the program had been handled, for the most part, by Georgianna and Brooklyn. The chapel was filled with white lilies and deep purple hydrangeas. A portrait hung above the pulpit, snowy and almost magical.

It was a grand gesture, especially compared to the recognition given to Starr. The girl had been buried in a local cemetery with a small marble gravestone to mark her place.

"Cremate her and throw the ashes in the servant's rubbish bin," Sir Vanceton had suggested. "Prove to the country how we deal with those that commit treason and murder. I say she doesn't deserve even the slightest bit of respect."

"And I say she does," Eli had argued. "I think you're forgetting who's in charge, here. In fact, I don't think you ever really knew. You're fired."

Nobody had opposed him.

Now they all sat, listening to melancholy music of prelude that drifted around the chapel. Brooklyn went up and welcomed everybody to the event. Then Bunny Knowles delivered a prompt and vague eulogy.

When it was Eli's turn to speak, he found that his throat was closed up. He wasn't going to be able to make it through the remarks that he'd written.

"I'm sorry," he said, addressing the crowd. "I'm sorry. I was going to give a speech. But I...I don't think I can. My words aren't enough. Gigi was too special."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper. On it contained an old poem written by his grandmother, the poet laureate of Illea back in her day. "I was going to read a section of this in my remarks, but I think that the whole thing is applicable to her. And all that she went through."

Clearing his throat, he began to read.

"Tonight the angel sleeps

In her bed of ice and fire

While those around her weep

In a somber, muted choir

The day before was dark and cold

With scarce a time for rest

So as the evening's growing old

She lays down in her nest

The storm is raging on and on

But not a sound is heard

Her care for life is all but gone

After what she has endured

Tomorrow she will rise

In a world that's pure and white

And view this place with newfound eyes

And see that things are right

But for now that place is far

For night's still growing deep

The moon is shining with the stars

They watch the angel sleep."

.

.

.

It was pouring. Absolutely drenching the castle. Eli thanked his lucky stars he hadn't been out in the front driveway when it began. He was wearing a new silk shirt and would have been murdered by his mother if it had been ruined. Besides, it had taken an hour to style his hair this morning.

He strode through the hallways, listening to the monotonous sound of raindrops on the windows. It was rather beautiful, he thought, to see the sky so drenched in grey. It felt otherworldly. Like something truly magical was about to happen.

That's when he saw her. Outside. In the middle of the courtyard. Her dress was ruined, her hair dripping down her back. Her mouth was agape in silent wonder, eyes turned towards the heaven. And she wasn't just standing there. No, she was dancing. It was enchanting. Almost magical.

He'd been searching for her. Feeling his chest begin to pound, he ripped his shirt from his chest. "Hair be damned," he whispered, heading out into the downpour. Water pelted him and drenched face and slid down his neck and soaked his chest and everything else. But he didn't care. He could only see her.

As she turned, he caught her hand in his, the other sliding around her waist. "May I have this dance, milady?" he murmured.

Ava smiled at him. Not the nervous, guarded smile it had once been. She didn't act that way around him anymore. Now all he could see was love and gratitude. "I've never seen rain before," she admitted. "It's always snowing back in my village. This is so beautiful."

"It's the most beautiful thing I've seen in my whole life," Eli agreed, staring down into her eyes.

"I heard you eliminated Vela," she mentioned casually. "And that Ana's with Brooklyn. And that Levi is taking Viv back to Ottaro. Is that true?"

"Yes. That's all true," Eli confirmed.

"Oh," Ava said, her voice suddenly small.

He stopped their swaying. "Is something the matter?" he asked, reaching up to cup her cheek in his hand.

"No," she replied, leaning into his touch. "It's only...what if I'm no good? What if I can't lead? What if they don't accept me as their Queen? I'm not as strong as Vela or smart as Viv or clever as Ana. I'm nothing-"

"Shh," Eli said. "That's where you're wrong." He drew their faces together, resting his forehead against hers. "Ava, you are everything."

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **YAYYYAYAYAYAYYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY MY BABIESSSSSSSSS 33333 i am so beyond excited about this! i am so happy to have finally (almost) finished this after more than a year of work! vela is on to do so many amazing things (which we will get to see in the last chapter). ana and brooklyn are goals. stella's return is all i ever wanted. but gigi my baby :( i actually was the one to create gigi and implement her into the story so it's hard to see her go. but AVA AND ELI MY LOVES anyway that's all i'll save the sappy stuff for later**


	54. Chapter 54

_~5 years later~_

"Hi, welcome," Eli cried, throwing his arms around the first of the guests. Vela was dressed in a slick black pantsuit, her hair drawn up in a tight bun. "Ambassador Elliot. Always a pleasure. You're looking younger every time I see you."

"Good to see you, too, Eli," Vela said, patting him on the back. She took a step back and looked him up and down.

"How about the Greyson deal we were talking about? Did it go through?" Eli asked.

Vela scowled and shook her head, though the corner of her lip was tweaked upwards. "No trade talk when we're not at work," she scolded. "Forget about all of that stuff. Tell me about what you've been up to outside of all your Princely duties."

"Well, not much," Eli admitted.

"Sure," Vela replied, raising her eyebrows.

Since the Selection, Vela had gone on to become one of the most prominent figures in all of Illea. For the first couple years, she'd danced with the crew of her old employer, Lyza Rambley, a chart topping singer. But once her contract had run out, she'd decided to jump straight into politics. She'd become an ambassador to Southern Africa.

"Ava's over by the punch if you want to go say hi," Eli said, gesturing to his wife. "But be careful, she's been feeling a bit sick all day. And no wine for her, so she's not in quite a good mood as the rest of us. Pregnancy is no joke, apparently."

"Will do," Vela said with a salute. However, before she could, somebody else approached them and grabbed her elbow.

"Hey V," Stella said, wrapping her friend in a hug. "How's the Greyson deal going?"

"You people are insufferable!" Vela cried. She linked her arm with Stella's and the two of them made their way into the crowd. It was like the red sea parting as the girl walked towards Ava. Eli wasn't surprised. Vela and Stella were two of the most influential people in Illea. He would move out of the way as well.

The next notable visitor to walk through the door was a tall, long haired beauty with cinnamon skin and the aura of the ocean around her. Blonde highlights indicated hours spent in the sun.

"Lia," Eli exclaimed. It was in that moment he realized that he hadn't seen her in person since the Selection.

"Hello, Eli, dear," she said, her smile still as mystical as when she'd roamed the halls of the castle. In fact, if anything, she looked even more peaceful and otherworldly.

Eli raised his arms in a jovial shrug. "What have you been doing these days?"

Suddenly, a tall, rugged man walked in and took Lia's arm. He had glowing bronze skin and hair that swished as he tossed his head. He stood almost a head taller than Eli, his upper body muscles gleaming in the light of the chandelier. "Hello, your Highness," he said, his voice smooth and easygoing. "My name's Adrian Castillo."

"Him, for one," Lia said, in answer to Eli's question. "This is my boyfriend. He's a professional surfer down in Honduragua. We met at an ocean wildlife conservation meeting last year."

Adrian nodded, looking off into the distance intensely. "We need to save the turtles."

"Yes, we've been working on a project that will eliminate most of the plastic in the ocean. Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about that. We're lacking a lot of funding and support, plus endorsement-"

"Say no more," Eli said, holding his hands up. "Let's have a long conversation after the reception and I'll take care of anything you need."

"Thank you," Lia said, her eyes lighting up. "That would be amazing."

She and Adrian wandered off and found themselves swallowed by the crowd. Eli watched them go fondly.

"Your Highness," came another familiar voice. "What a surprise."

Eli's smile widened as he caught sight of Sage, arm in arm with none other than the renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Charles Matthew Evanston. Her face seemed to glow, mature and much happier than she had been during the Selection. It seemed as though she'd taken his advice and found herself some help.

"Charlie, this is Eli. He was actually the one who suggested I try organized therapy," Sage said, by way of introduction.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," Dr. Evanston said, his drawl clearly indicating that he was from Carolina. "I've heard so much about you. I guess I also have you to thank for me meeting my wife. If not for you she would never have come to my office."

"And you never would have had the scandal that rocked the nation," Eli said with a smirk. Two years ago, the story on the front of every tabloid had been the one of Dr. Evanston's steamy relationship with his patient, the former participant of the Selection. He'd been stripped of his job and the two had fled to the northernmost reaches of Illea to escape angry admires that claimed Sage "ruined Dr. Evanston's career."

"Pleasure to finally meet you, sir," Eli said, shaking the psychiatrist's hand. Then he turned back to Sage. "Do you know if Tricia's going to make it?"

Sage's eyes narrowed. "Didn't you know? Tricia hasn't been seen in two years. She ran away from home after her parents got a divorce. Nobody's had any contact with her since."

"So that's why she didn't respond to the invitation," Eli said. "We missed her at the wedding."

Sage nodded sadly, then had her eye caught in the other direction. "Look, honey, it's Ambassador Vela! We have to go say hello."

Eli swiped a hand over his brow. He was already growing tired greeting all of these guests. Hopefully the newly wedded couple would arrive soon and the reception could actually begin.

Suddenly, a child's wail pierced through the entry hall. Eli looked over to see Sofie and Cole walking through the door with a small, squirming toddler in their arms. The little girl had the same perfect blue eyes as her mother, with the dark, straight hair of her father.

"Hello, your Highness," Cole said, placing his daughter on the ground. "I'm so sorry about her. She, uh...she dropped a flower into the stream outside. Is there a nursery or something that we can take her to?"

Eli shook his head. "That shouldn't be a problem." He plucked the corsage from his suit and held it down to the little girl. "Here you, go, darling," he said. "A flower just as beautiful as you."

Sofie crouched and nudged her daughter. "Say thank you to Prince Eli, Elsa."

"Fank you," Elsa said shyly, clutching the flower. Then she turned around and tugged on her father's shirt, urging him to pick her up. "Daddy, I get a fower!"

"You sure did, kiddo," Cole said with a chuckle. He lifted Elsa into his arms and turned to face Sofie. "I'm going to head in and see if I can find my sister. I'll see you soon, love." He planted a kiss on her forehead, then mouthed, "Thank you," to Eli.

"Good man," Eli remarked. "I can see why you married him."

"Yeah. Hey, Eli, I'm sorry-" Sofie started, but Eli held up a hand to stop her.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he said. "Reina explained everything to me. If anything, I was the one that overreacted." He looked into where Cole was greeting Ava across the punch table. "Looks like things turned out pretty well for you, though."

"Yeah," Sofie said, smiling fondly at her husband and daughter. "And you, too. Ava's absolutely glowing. When is she due?"

"Just one month," Eli responded, "I can't even imagine. One month and I'll be a father."

"Do you have a name picked out for her?"

"Yes," Eli said, a hint of sadness coming into his voice. "Regina Eadlyn Schreave. Ava picked it out."

"How's she doing as Princess?" Sofie asked.

"She's doing quite well with living in the limelight. And she's grown into her responsibilities quite nicely. I think she'll be a marvelous Queen when the time comes. To think that she's the same girl that used to get lost trying to find her room in the West Wing."

"She's come a long way," Sofie agreed. "So have we. Now, I'm going to go and join Cole. I'll talk to you later." She flashed a quick smile, then made her way through the room. When she reached Cole, she wrapped her arm around his middle and placed a kiss on his cheek.

At one point in time, Eli had been jealous of the relationship that Cole and Sofie shared. He had thought that he would never find anyone that he could love so easily. He knew differently, now.

Glancing at his watch, he tapped his foot anxiously. It was nearly six at night, with no sign of Viv or Reina, the last two of the Elite to show up.

But even as those thoughts raced through his mind, the tail end of guests walked through the door. Tall and handsome as always, Levi Jones commanded the attention of everyone as he entered the building. At his side was Viv, her wild red hair tied up in an elegant bun. Her beautiful blue-green eyes were covered with a pair of sunglasses that Eli knew were not to protect her eyes from the sun.

She clutched Levi's arm tightly as he guided her through the entry hall to Eli. Her other hand held a probin cane. As they approached, Eli chuckled to himself. "Is that Illea's most promising young scholar I see?" he called.

"Is that Illea's most promising Crown Prince I hear?" Viv replied, laughing heartily. "Eli, it's so good to see you again. I can't believe how good you look."

"Enough blind person jokes," Levi said, nudging her side. "We get it, you can't see anymore."

"If I've got to be blind, the least you can do is let me make self deprecating jokes about it," Viv replied. But Eli could see her grin as she faced Levi's direction.

"Ava's been asking when you were getting here for about three weeks," Eli said, gesturing over his shoulder to where his wife and Lia were serving drinks. "If you don't get in there now, I think she might pop a blood vessel."

"Will do, your Highness," she said, urging Levi forward. "Great seeing you."

Eli and Levi exchanged a respectful nod as he passed. But suddenly, Viv spun them around. "By the way, Eli? I talked to Reina. She was standing outside the door when I was coming in. She told me to tell you that she's sorry, but she can't make it in. It...I think it would be too painful for her."

Eli nodded. "Thank you for telling me." As they walked inside, he tried to control his disappointment. Reina hadn't spoken to him since her elimination. He supposed that if he were in her shoes, he would feel the same.

Finally, the newlyweds walked into their reception. "You two are so late. What on earth were you doing?" Eli cried, incredulous.

"Each other," Brooklyn answered blatantly.

"Hilarious," Eli retorted. "That's the second time I've heard that joke tonight. Get in there and greet your guests, I've been doing your jobs for like an hour."

They all walked over to where Ava was handing Levi a cocktail. "The slackers are finally here, honey," Eli said, coming to stand by his wife's side. "You're finally free of duty. Maybe now this blasted party can actually start."

"Only if you make us a toast," Ana said.

"You promised," Brooklyn added.

Rolling his eyes, Eli accepted a glass of champagne from Ava. He clinked it loudly with a nearby knife, earning the attention of the entirety of the room. "May I please have you all look up here?" he called. "Excluding Viviana Ebony, of course."

Viv scoffed through her laughter from her spot across the room next to Lia and Adrian.

"I would like to propose a toast," Eli said. "A toast to two of the most important people in the world. In this case, the world is me because we all now that everything revolves around me. Ana, if anybody were to marry my sister, I would want it to be you. Graduate of ILEPA, Illean Law Enforcement and Protection Academy. Valedictorian of her class, I might add. She is fierce, smart, and will never back down from a challenge. And best of all, she's my ex girlfriend."

The room exploded in laughter. Ana was doubled over, clutching Brooklyn's arm. Eli threw up a middle finger at his sister before continuing with his speech.

"In reality, though, I've learned a lot about love these last few years. Love, I've recently discovered, knows no bounds." He looked knowingly at Ana and Brooklyn, who grinned at him appreciatively.

"Love is magical, mystical, and carries an air of sophistication." He smiled at Lia, beaming at him from Adrian's side.

"Love is poised and beautiful, never what it seems on the surface." Sofie raised her eyebrows, her arms around Cole's middle, Elsa perched on her husband's shoulders.

"Love is bitter and does exactly what it wants." He thought of Reina, driven away from happiness by her own perverted love of justice.

"Love is wild and artistic and never quits on what matters." Tricia danced in his mind, her paintings and dedication to her family still fresh in his memory.

"Love can be injured, but it can also be made whole." Sage beamed up at him and interlocked her fingers with Dr. Evanston's.

"Love will come through in times of trial and fear." He watched Viv and Levi drew a little closer together.

"Love is strong and powerful and a flame in your heart." Eli locked eyes with Vela, who touched the charm around her neck and winked.

"Love...can sometimes leave you behind." A tear streaked down his cheek as white hair and amber eyes flew by in his mind. She settled at the back of the crowd and watched him, lips closed around a cigarette. _I'm free now,_ she whispered in his ear.

Eli hesitated, struggling to regain his composure. "But when you're lost and alone and afraid, love will find you and make you warm again." He reached down and took Ava's hand. "And will never fail to lift you up. I couldn't be more grateful for you two and for every person in this room. Here's to Ana and Brooklyn, for teaching us what love truly is."

 _And here's to you,_ came the low and husky voice from the back. If Eli tried, he could almost see her.

But then she was gone, gone away to somewhere beautiful and safe and free. Eli wiped his eyes and turned around to face his future. She smiled, eyes twinkling, hands resting on her stomach.

And Eli was happy.


	55. Acknowledgments

Now that I'm done with this, there are so many people that I want to thank so yes, I'm creating an entire chapter just to do that and yOU CAN'T STOP ME

First and foremost, I'll start with my amazing best friend who you've all come to know and love through her comments at the end of a few chapters. She is featured in my profile pic (she's the one in green) so you can see the true range of emotion that she conveys on a day to day basis.

Second, my love goes out to all the readers that read this and maybe didn't submit a character or review or PM me (which is literally me as a reader, feedback is so much effort). You all made this a success as much as everybody who did those things. Y'all rock!

Third, I would like to thank anybody who got the Buzzfeed Unsolved reference that I snuck in. You guys are the real MVPs.

Fourth, I want to thank everybody who submitted!

Sofie- Fairytoto1. Sofie was such an amazing character that I think was a really interesting change of pace from the classic model. She grew to be one of my absolute favorite girls so thank you so much for coming up with her! Eli also says tHANK U FOR SOFIE

Viv- Tis I, the Frenchiest Fry. Viv honestly is so precious. I actually found myself writing my own personality into her character a lot! Plus her relationship with Levi is the cutest thing ever. Thanks for the sweetheart! Eli says THANK U FOR THE BLIND LADY

Reina- tyozzie123. We all know Reina had her ups and downs, but I think I speak for everyone that we were sad with where she ended up. hopefully there are good things for her in the future! Eli says THANK U FOR SHOVING SIR VANCETON IN THE CHAMBER POT

Tricia- my friend Trisha. I don't think you'll ever read this, but if you do, Tricia was QUITE a character. I hope you enjoyed my mr ng reference like 300 chapters ago. Eli says YOU'RE AN IGNORAMUS

Sage- Clara Margaux/The Cruel Pringle. You know her. You love her. You miss her. You need to bully her to get back on fanfic. Anyways, Clara (if you ever finish this), you get a very special thank you because you were actually the one who got me onto fanfic in the first place. Also Sage is a sweetie that must be protected! Thx for all the noncoherent reviews and encouragement. Eli says GET BACK ON FANFIC.

Ana- Slyther. Ana wins the award for the character that I would most want to bang in real life. Seriously. She is like the coolest person on the planet. I think that she, Brooklyn and Eli are going to have a lot more fun adventures in the future ;) Eli says that IT'S OK ANA SCREWED HIS SISTER.

Vela- Smiley111. True to your name, you are the nicest person ever! Your reviews always manage to make my day :) Plus Vela is a BAMF and I wish she was my mom. Or best friend. Or girlfriend tbh. Thank you for supporting me and this story! Eli says that VELA IS THE ONLY PERSON HE WOULD EVER CONSIDER APPOINTING PRESIDENT

Ava-Nikt Wazny. You are honestly the submitter every author dreams of. I fell in love with Ava the moment I read over the submission form and almost immediately knew that's who Eli would end up with. And the reviews you left were so detailed (i could never hahaha) and gave me so much insight. ELI SAYS THANK YOU FOR HIS WIFE

Lia- SophieofWoodsBeyond. I literally can't even put into words how helpful you've been. Little known fact, Soph was actually the one to help me decide on the ending! You are kind and talented and the most amazing fanfic buddy ever! Plus Lia is so cool and mystical and amazing. Eli says THANKS FOR KEEPING RUBY SANE

I would also like to get super sappy and say a huge thank you to Eli, Brooklyn, Stella, Brinley, Starr, and Gigi. My little OCs. All grown up *tear slides down my face*. Brooklyn, you are the lesbian icon we all deserve. You honestly inspire me every single day to keep pushing and never let a man tell me what to do. Stella, my baby. I'm so sorry that I had to do that to you! You are a precious bean. Brinley, you contributed almost nothing to the story, but you were still cool and an amazing little sister anyways. Starr, it's OK that you killed like six people and emotionally scarred even more than that. You're a _star_ in my eyes.

Gigi, I miss you just as much as the rest of them do. I loved every second of exploring your life and personality. You deserved to live a happy and safe life at the palace. But I hope that now you are truly at peace. Hopefully the poem that I wrote sums up just how special you are.

Eli, you are the greatest prince I could have asked for. I'm sorry that I put you through so much grief. It's been an absolute honor to go through this journey with you and there's nobody else I would have wanted at my side. I think of you like you're my son and will treasure this adventure for the rest of my life. I love you with my whole heart.

Thank you so much, everybody!

💕Ruby


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